Answers to Nothing

Answers to Nothing is that rare combination of an ensemble cast grappling with life's complexities without descending into heavy handed storytelling. It both lifts you up and crushes you down as you recognize the various shades of yourself in the characters. I have been weary of ensemble dramas like this since the manipulative'Crash', but I felt the director and cast did a superb job and the emotion really builds to something tangible and rewarding. The singer Aja Volkman of 'Nico Vega'provides an emotional charge right through the film and Mad Men actor Mark Kelly gives a great turn as a gamer/High School teacher out for justice. Great film - highly recommended.

"I'm buried in the armor, I'm an iron man." After a child is abducted this movie deals with the following five days and a group of people including the single mom who is investigating the case. Her sister (Mitchell) who wants to get pregnant badly but her husband (Cook) is cheating on her. A school teacher who is obsessed with finding the missing girl. An alcoholic who is taking care of her wheel chair bound brother and a self hating black woman who wants to fall in love. I have to begin by saying that this is not a movie for everyone. Very slow moving in some parts and not a happy movie at all. That said I really enjoyed this. Dane Cook is a huge surprise in this role and is actually a very good dramatic actor. This movie shows how each person is somehow intertwined in each other's lives and how one life effects the other. While not nearly as good as "Crash" it does have that type of feel to it. This is a movie that you must be in the mood for and is a struggle at first, but the last half hour makes you glad you stuck with it. Overall, the type of movie that leaves you thinking about it long after it is over. I recommend this. I give it a B.

This movie surprised me. There were some really great performances from people I didn't expect, namely Dane Cook. He seems to be a very divisive person in pop culture and I found his performance emotional and honest. It was a sort of a slow story that was all building to the twists at the end. It felt like Crash or other movies where all of these random stories collide in dramatic ways.

Some parts I sort of got bored with the pacing of the story. But there were also some really nice moments. Like when the amazing Elizabeth Mitchell buys baby clothes and stuffed animals and can't tell the check out lady she doesn't have a child. And then she has the box in her trunk full of baby clothes. That was beautiful acted and very emotional.

I also thought all of the scenes with the paralyzed brother and the recovering alcoholic sister. It just felt real and raw and I like it.

Good movie if you want something a bit on the dark side.

I was blown away at how raw and honest this film was. It dealt with real, difficult issues that most, if not all people can relate to. There are affairs, disabilities, prejudice, and a kidnapping. Each main character is likable yet broken, and each are changed by how their lives intertwine. Each actor does a fantastic job, with the exception of Dane Cook, who I think had a calculated somewhat forced performance. Overall, this film is touching and convicting. It challenges the audience to look at their own lives and to take action where it is needed to end injustice. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you feel like your life is stagnant and needs some motivation.

Coming in to this movie, I thought it was going to be multiple peoples stories that all come together at the climax of the film. This did not happen. Each characters story is very compelling on their own and everyone is loosely connected to each other, but they don't make up one story as a whole. I felt like the movie was building up to the climax of them all impacting the finding the missing girl, but this is not the case. Only about 4 characters, out of a dozen, impact what could be called the climax, and I feel like the 4 that do had the least screen time. Overall, if you get invested into each and every character, the movie maintains interest. I would have rather seen each characters' story as its own short film rather than thrown into this hodgepodge of lives. If you enjoy movies like Crash or a much darker version of that comedy Valentine's Day, then you might like this.

PS: Dane Cook gives a surprisingly great performance.