A Disappointing Continuation

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

I was predisposed to like this movie through the sheer casting of the ever-lovely Lauren Graham as the female lead. Unfortunately, that is not enough to carry this movie.Both Ms. Graham and Jeff Daniels do a fine job of portraying their characters, but the story has too many holes to make this movie enjoyable. Mr. Daniels plays a reclusive author who has hidden himself from the world for 20 years since he wrote the mega-popular "God and Me," the transcript of his conversation with God. When Mr. Daniels is forced into the real world, he meets Ms. Graham and there is instant attraction (believable as to his reaction…see above disclaimer, but seems inconsistent with his prior choice of a being a recluse.) Through the story, the two leads draw each other out of their respective shells, fall apart, and then, surprise, wind up with a happy ending. I did not believe the initial attraction; I really did not believe the reason for their breakup; and then the supposed twist at the end seemed to undermine the whole premise of any attraction in the first place.Not that the movie is all bad. As I mentioned there are good performances, some interesting dialog, and the framework of a good premise. It is just that all these elements do not come together enough to make this a movie worth seeing.

Jeff Daniels is a legendary actor, at least in my opinion. Take a look at his body of work & you'll understand what I'm saying. Daniels is a versatile actor, who very surprisingly has never been Nominated for an Academy-Award. In 'The Answer Man', Daniels delivers A Fantastic Performance, proving once again how good he is! 'The Answer Man' Synopsis: A reclusive author of spiritual books, is pursued for advice by a single mother and a man fresh out of rehab.'The Answer Man' is an ordinary fare, that has some moments. The Screenplay does deliver some great moments, but, at times, it loses pace & drags itself. John Hindman's Direction is definitely well-done.Apart from Daniels's Fantastic, Impeccable Performance, 'The Answer Man' turns out to be a one-time watch.

Jeff Daniels is the author of God and Me a self help book supposedly filled with all of the insights that God wants us to have. In the 20 years since its publication its become a cult industry with Daniel's character being a reclusive loner trying to work out the meaning of life. Into his life comes the mother of a young boy whom he meets when his back goes out, and the owner of a local bookstore he frequents. Wildly uneven, ultimately not really good, romantic comedy of sorts about a bunch of lost souls trying to find meaning and themselves. The problem here is purely the script which seems to go off in every which direction, as best explained by the opening scene where we meet the profanity spewing Daniels which then runs up against some of the scenes with Daniels and the son of the woman he's romancing. The later scenes are utterly charming and their tone seems at odds with the early stuff. yes I know there is arc to the characters but the shifts of tome happen all over the place often between scenes in sequence. It drove me mad because at its heart this is a really good story thats been put on to the screen not very well. In all honesty the film is worth seeing at some point (whats good is really choice) I just wouldn't pay money to do so. Wait for cable,

If the purpose of the film was to make the viewer relate to the film exactly the way a reader would react to meeting fictional writer Arlen Faber then mission accomplished. I was deeply disappointed in this movie. As it unfolds, you expect the film to deliver something profound and moving. It never does nor even comes close. It's clichéd filled and aimless. It makes no real statement about faith and offers nothing of substance. The movie revolves are three characters and you never really emotionally connect with two of the three. The exception being the alcoholic bookstore owner, that character was well written. Unfortunately, the main leads are disappointingly weak. Jeff Daniels and Lauren Graham deliver wonderful performances as expected but there really wasn't anything extraordinary for them to work with in terms of the script.A big disappointment.