Essentially a two-character play in three acts, "The Good Dick" strives for a different kind of modern take on relationships but doesn't quite hit the mark. Actress/writer/director Marianna Palka does not have much acting experience and it shows: she never allows us to see more than one note of her character and a pivotal scene with Tom Arnold as her father falls flat. Although this is a flawed movie, there is much to like here, however. Jason Ritter is the best thing about this thinly plotted indie "anti-romance." The scenes of Ritter and his video store pals (including Martin Starr, one Director Judd Apatow's regular players) provide a nice backdrop for the main romance. And, Ritter's desperate need for human connection feels sincere - you are rooting for him despite the seemingly impossible quest to reach Palka's damaged character. Viewers, however, may be let down at the end when things get wrapped up a bit too cleanly, like a bad Lifetime movie. I would have liked to see Palka's character struggle more with her own demons and find a way out that was less predictable and abrupt.
