The Answer Man (2009)

96 min. Cast: Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings, Jeff Daniels, Lou Taylor Pucci, Lauren Graham.

Fathers and sons. Overprotective parents. Drinking. A seemingly elusive Higher Power. A distaste for new age psychobabble. Romantic love. And, a deep reverence for sarcasm.

April 18, 1988

Arlen Faber's first book Me and God called by one critic "a gentle gem of spirituality" beloved international bestseller

20th anniversary

hilarious premise

"redefined spirituality for an entire generation"

a recluse Philadelphia back brings him to his knees

Nora Dunn

trying to unload books on spirituality and consciousness

overprotective, health-nut super-mom who has a smoke after dropping seven-year-old son Alex off

Straighten-Up Healing Center

Thirlby

alcoholic Pucci lives w alcoholic dad

The Book Trader

local businesses

Tony Hale: "Maybe he wrote Me and God but he did not read it"

Teri: "Try asking God for help."

"He won't take my calls."

"You are a disaster."

"It's all meaningless bullshit."

Arlen: "What good are the gifts we have if we don't share them."

uses his God talk to woo, and the film doesn' judge him for it?

still mourning his father, with whom he watched monster movies

walking on eggshells around each other's foibles

fathers and sons

agnostic romantic comedy

last shot from inside diner: what did you have in mind?

original working title The Dream of the Romans?