I picked up The Baxter about a week ago on a Friday at the end of a long week when my girlfriend and I were looking for something light and entertaining and was amazed at how much I loved it. It's the funniest romantic comedy I've seen in years. . .I don't give movies a "10" lightly, but this one earns it because all of the pieces work so well together. The star/writer/director seems a perfect sort of nebish, a perfect dull but steady and reliable guy. He's the sort of character who shows up in so many romantic comedies: the Bill Pullman character in Sleepless in Seattle or the Ralph Bellamy character in His Girl Friday--the guy who gets dumped by the girl when someone more exciting comes along. Eliot in this film may be the quintessential dull, steady, reliable nice guy: he seems always in a sweater vest and his favorite day of the week is Monday. I know some who have commented have said that Michael Showalter is the weakest cast member; one person commented that he wasn't Cary Grant. Well, no--but that's the point. You need someone who can handle the delicate balance between being an interesting protagonist but who also is believable as a male wallflower. This movie is not about the character Cary Grant would have played but the character that Ralph Bellamy would have played--and Showalter is brilliant in the role. The rest of the cast is stupendous. Michelle Williams is perfect as the girl we root for and the supporting cast is also outstanding. A hint: if you're not the kind of person who sticks around for the end credits, do so for this film. There's an extra scene in the middle of the credits that's funny but also casts the entire film in a new light.
Review of The Baxter
