Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

As Good As It Gets was a very good film. It was so good that it spawned the dupe, The Answer Man.

It's hard to deny that writer/director John Hindman found inspiration from the Oscar winner. After all, the film formula having a curmudgeon writer fall in love with single mom isn't your typical romantic comedy fare.

Jeff Daniels plays Arlen Faber, the curmudgeon in question. He's a spiritual writer, whose best-selling book makes people think that he can personally talk to God. While that may seem like quite the gift, Arlen is one miserable S.O.B. -- that is, until he crawls (literally) into the office of single mom and chiropractor Elizabeth (Lauren Graham).

However, it's not the love of a good woman that turns him around. It's also the friendship of a young bookstore owner (Lou Taylor Pucci), who also happens to be a recovering alcoholic. There are plenty of familiar tones, but The Answer Man doesn't follow James L. Brooks' entire film to a tee. That's a shame; maybe it would have been a better movie.

That's not to say that The Answer Man is a complete bust, but that doesn't really make it worth watching either. The performances are good, most notably the three leads. Olivia Thirlby and Kat Dennings could have been good, too. However, they aren't given a whole lot to do in this forgettable flick.

The Picture

Despite being an indie production, this 1.78:1 transfer looks pretty nice. Close-ups display some good details and the overall color scheme is kind of impressive. Those colors are most noticeable in Elizabeth's pretty, perky attire. Her pink scarf and the variety of pretty blouses that she wears pop really well. Blacks are also strong and the film in general is very bright. Skin tones look good, even when Arlen is wincing with back pain. It's not the one you'll turn to for a demo. There is some grain, as well as a few soft shots. Overall though, The Answer Man's image was surprising.

The Sound

This DTS-HD Master Audio track is nothing special. It's the typical romantic comedy, where dialogue plays front and center. It's delivered well, but there is little else, except for the film's score and the occasional street sound.

The Extras

Like the film, the extras are pretty modest. There are quickie featurettes covering the production and the characters. There's also an HDNet promo short. It's not going to set the Blu-ray world on fire, but it's decent fare for an indie flick.

Final Thoughts

If you're flipping through cable channels and see The Answer Man, you might want to check it out. However, to actually go out and buy it on Blu-ray? A sub-par story, fare transfer and basic extras make the answer to that question kind of obvious.

Product Details

• Actors: Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Taylor Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings, Nora Dunn, Tony Hale
• Director: John Hindman
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English)
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: R
• Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: November 3, 2009
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• List Price: $34.99
• Extras:
  • Characters of The Answer Man
  • The Answer Man: From Concept to Creation
  • HDNet: A Look at The Answer Man
  • Also from Magnolia Home Entertainment Blu-ray
  • BD Live