Saturday, July 30, 2005

The Baxter

I had the good fortune of seeing The Baxter last night at the Traverse City Film Festival, and let me tell you, it was AMAZING. A "Baxter" is one of those average guys, nice, polite, kind of old-fashioned, with a stable unromantic job, who always loses the girl to the dashing hero - think Bill Pullman in Sleepless in Seattle (remember him? the one Meg dumps). This movie is the Baxter's story. Elliott Sherman is geeky and solid, with a lovely girlfriend, but we can predict that they won't last. Why? He's a Baxter, and it's happened to him before. Baxters get left at the altar. Baxters never get the girl... or do they?
Michael Showalter wrote, directed and starred in this movie, and good thing he did, because everything about him and this movie is wonderful. It's sweet and clever and brilliantly written and very, very funny. I think it will appeal to almost everyone, because everyone has felt like a Baxter at some point in their lives.
By the way, the cast is amazing. If you're a fan of The State or Wet Hot American Summer, you will see many familiar faces in this movie, and you will love them.
This movie opens August 26 in NYC, and September 2 in LA. If it comes to your town, RUN to the theatre and see it. You can thank me later.
The Baxter - A-.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here's hoping it's better than "Stella," which has been a bitter disappointment to this devoted fan of The State.

amanda said...

Pat -
Will you be offended when I say that this movie reminded me a little bit of you?
But in a good way...