Answers to Nothing

This is kind of an answer to another review... I voted 10, to increase the score of the movie, although I think is a clear 8.

If you think movies about real people, real problems and damaged people are not your thing, please don't watch this movie.

This movie is amazing in characterizing several kinds of people, is so replete of so many different styles and personalities. All of them has a different role and all of them is extremely important.

I would not like to say much, because I will spoil the movie, but maybe the reason the movie is so hateful, is because people see them in some of the character and hate themselves...

Just pay attention to the details and you will have the answer to EVERYTHING.

Answers to Nothing is a complicated tapestry of seemingly disparate threads that ultimately come together in moving and honest ways. All of the actors do a tremendous job bringing authenticity and conviction to their roles, especially Dane Cook and Mark Kelly. The music is beautiful and provides a colorful backdrop to the unfolding narratives. There are so many emotional states present in this film - many of which are constantly shifting and evolving - and the result is a truthful meditation on the hard work it takes to live with honesty and commitment. I highly recommend this film - since it has aspects of many different genres and has so many unique characters, there's something in it for everyone.

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.

Writer/director Matthew Leutwyler manages to challenge the concentration and intellect and attention span of the viewer in this non-linear and ultimately satisfying intertwining of stories that examine the bad in the best of us and the good in the worst of us. Against the backdrop of a child abduction case (person of interest is next door neighbor Beckworth (Greg Germann) we follow five days in the life of Frankie, a single parent detective (Julie Benz) assigned to the case, her best friend Kate (Elizabeth Mitchell) whose determination to get pregnant keeps her from confronting Ryan (Dane Cook) her psychologist husband's infidelity with rock singer Tara (Aja Volkman) while he is attempting to reconcile his parents (his fragile mother played by Barbara Hershey) long separation, an on-line video game addicted school teacher Carter (Mark Kelly) and his obsession with the missing child that pushes him to the edge of vigilantism, a beat cop Jerry (Erik Palladino) grieving over the violent death of his wife, Drew (Miranda Bailey) recovering addict and her wheel chair bound brother Erik (Vincent Vinteresca)preparing for the LA marathon, and Allegra (Kali Hawk), a self-loathing African American TV writer's search for love who happens to be a patient of Ryan's (and who is on the brink of a mixed courtships with a shy and likely virginal Evan played by Zack Gifford). The string of stories asks us to look at their lives (and ours!) and to take action where it is needed to end injustice.

The cast of characters is so strong that despite the rather confusing progress o the story we get to know each character very well. The ending is exceptionally well handled. This is one o those surprise films that appears on the surface to be one of those shallow/too much too fast director's egomaniacal art films, but by film's end the audience simply cannot fail to be touched in many different positive ways.

Grady Harp