The Answer Man

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The Answer Man

R

2009

1h 36m

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

32%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Twenty years ago, Arlen Faber (Jeff Daniels) wrote a book about spirituality that became wildly popular. These days, he's a curmudgeonly recluse who only enjoys the company of his chiropractor, Elizabeth (Lauren Graham). As Elizabeth's warmth starts to melt Arlen's cold heart, he comes to realize what love really means.

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Critics Consensus

The Answer Man takes an interesting premise and overloads it with implausible scenarios, indie comedy cliches, and an all-too-familiar story arc that only occasionally benefits from its typically capable actors.

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Alissa Wilkinson

Paste Magazine

04/12/2016

6/10

The Answer Man is reaching for something but never quite grasps it.

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Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

08/27/2009

3/4

While The Answer Man has a meandering pace and ultimately goes precisely where you think it will, first-timer Hindman makes the journey pleasant among these literate and interesting folk.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

08/14/2009

2/4

Thanks to a stupendously inept finale it ends up going nowhere, and by the time it fades to black the only question I had was what could have potentially been changed to salvage it.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

11/28/2020

6/10

What begins as a genuinely humorous dark comedy gradually falters as seriousness takes over.

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

11/06/2019

The sleeper hit of the summer, THE ANSWER MAN is the answer for some movie magic!

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

10/10/2019

1.5/5

A romantic comedy that is more or less a poor facsimile of the plot of As Good as it Gets.

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Jacquelyn J

@RT93934359 01/26/2025

a new fav and ahead of it's time philosophically. now on my annual watch list & made me fall in love with lauren graham

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Steve D

@RT35616104 10/07/2023

I didn't want to spend time with any of these characters.

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Carmelita W

@RT80179788 03/03/2023

I enjoyed it : ) Huge fan of Jeff Daniels. Is it a perfect script - no. But here's the thing- I appreciate the honesty - raw real people. We need that - in addition to the sanitary dialogue in scripts.

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12/07/2021

The theme and the acting are around a B/B-, but the philosophies are quite inspired. For that reason alone, this movie is worth a watch.

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12/07/2021

Tip toed the line of hallmark movie the whole time but never crossed over . Not really much comedy and Jeff Daniels was nice 2.5 . Still kinda cheesy but not bad

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07/06/2021

This film is under appreciated. Even though it's a romcom, it is insightful and heartwarming. Its several, not overpowering, gems of wisdom about life and kids are practical yet very insightful. Jeff Daniels is wonderful as always. I liked the other actors too. I also loved the music and how it enhanced the scenes.

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John Hindman

Director

Jeff Daniels

Arlen Faber

Lauren Graham

Elizabeth

Lou Taylor Pucci

Kris Lucas

Olivia Thirlby

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Synopsis

Twenty years ago, Arlen Faber (Jeff Daniels) wrote a book about spirituality that became wildly popular. These days, he's a curmudgeonly recluse who only enjoys the company of his chiropractor, Elizabeth (Lauren Graham). As Elizabeth's warmth starts to melt Arlen's cold heart, he comes to realize what love really means.

Director: John Hindman
Producer: Kevin J. Messick, Jana Edelbaum
Screenwriter: John Hindman
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: 120dB Films
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 24, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.6K
Runtime: 1h 36m