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THE ANSWER MANMovie Reviews
Drama about the reclusive author of a groundbreaking book on spirituality who realizes how little he actually knows when he crosses paths with a single mother and a recovering addict. Cast:Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Taylor Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings, Tony HaleDirector:John HindmanRelease Date:July 24, 2009DVD Release:November 3, 2009From:MagnoliaRating:RLength:1 hr 35 min
The Answer Man played in key cities to mixed reviews. • Duane Byrge wrote in the Hollywood Reporter, "...an endearing, smart social satire and better yet an engaging glimpse into one lost soul's return to his humanity, one laced with droll dialogue as well as acerbic wit." • And Joanne Kaufman wrote in the Wall Street Journal, "Its crackly sarcasm and smart talk turn out to be simply coating for a soft, icky, center." More Reviews Below...
The Answer Man Positive Reviews (22 Reviews, reviews below)
Richard Corliss, Time: GOOD "Daniels is always worth watching because he does a lot with a little; for him, the difference between bliss and rage is the subtle shifting of about two facial muscles."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 201 words, 07/24/09
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: MODERATE(cg) "Arlen's salvation plays out with tender cloying predictability, though Lauren Graham, as the chiropractor who falls for him, has more spark than the movie deserves."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 132 words, 07/24/09
Claudia Puig, USA Today: MODERATE(cg) "Why is this movie so full of plot holes, why do the characters behave in ways that bear little resemblance to reality, and why is this dreary comedy so devoid of humor?"(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 442 words, 07/24/09
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (7 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: WEAK "There are a few interesting ideas and potentially engaging characters, but everything slides around like a plateful of half-set Jello..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 650 words, 07/24/09
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "Early sequences in the film seem inspired by outtakes from a manic Jim Carrey comedy.... the movie follows the time-worn pathways of countless rom-coms before it."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 585 words, 08/06/09
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times: POOR "Hindman has remade 'As Good As It Gets,' subbing sentiment for sharpness and displaying an alarming aversion to anything approaching reality."(See all of Glenn Whipp's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 07/24/09
Ella Taylor, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...the rich but reclusive spiritual writer Daniels plays in John Hindman's pedestrian romantic comedy is not so bad, he's just drawn that way."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 187 words, 07/22/09
KEY CITIES (3 Reviews)
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "...an Intelligent Bad Movie, touching on ideas but not pursuing them, drifting into the stories of side characters and turning sentimental, like a sitcom."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 470 words, 07/31/09
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "Hindman elicits sympathetic performances from leads who demonstrate a deep understanding of movie physics... likable even when its characters decidedly are not."(See all of Carrie Rickey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 272 words, 07/24/09
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "John Hindman makes the journey pleasant... its ultimate definition of love is a winner: It's when you find someone who is the answer to your questions."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 389 words, 08/28/09
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (4 Reviews)
Ella Taylor, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...the rich but reclusive spiritual writer Daniels plays in John Hindman's pedestrian romantic comedy is not so bad, he's just drawn that way."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 187 words, 07/22/09
David Wildman, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "...could have been a sugary overdose of awful, but the performances are felt, and Daniels does a good job selling the wisecracking and wisdom of his character."(See all of David Wildman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 153 words, 07/30/09
HIGHBROW PRESS (3 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: WEAK "There are a few interesting ideas and potentially engaging characters, but everything slides around like a plateful of half-set Jello..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 650 words, 07/24/09
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times: POOR "Hindman has remade 'As Good As It Gets,' subbing sentiment for sharpness and displaying an alarming aversion to anything approaching reality."(See all of Glenn Whipp's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 07/24/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: WEAK "Alcoholism, apathy, overbearing moms, neglectful dads -- there's no trauma here that can't be milked for a few tears and then dispelled in a one-catharsis-fits-all moment..."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 633 words, 01/21/09
Duane Byrge, Hollywood Reporter: OUTSTANDING "...an endearing, smart social satire and better yet an engaging glimpse into one lost soul's return to his humanity, one laced with droll dialogue as well as acerbic wit."(See all of Duane Byrge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 395 words, 01/22/09
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times: POOR "Hindman has remade 'As Good As It Gets,' subbing sentiment for sharpness and displaying an alarming aversion to anything approaching reality."(See all of Glenn Whipp's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 07/24/09
A.O. Scott, New York Times: WEAK "There are a few interesting ideas and potentially engaging characters, but everything slides around like a plateful of half-set Jello..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 650 words, 07/24/09
20.4 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Answer Man's reviews are separated by an average 20.4 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
The Answer Man (22 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Answer Man's reviews cover 68.1% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 6,366 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 289 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Answer Man Coverage, Volume & Length (22 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 3.4 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Answer Man's reviews on average broke 3.4 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is The Answer Man's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Answer Man (22 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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