The Baxter Review by Tony (2 Stars)

The Baxter Review by Tony (2 Stars) | MatchFlick

Steal of the Day

Saving God Blu-ray Disc
~~$29.99~~
$6.99
The Steal of the Day is offered by MatchFlick's DVD partner, FamilyVideo.com.

[help]

[more]

MatchFlick Member Reviews


	3 reviews review this movie read all reviews

Movie Details

All Movie Info

Directed By
Michael Showalter

Written By:
Michael Showalter

Cast:
Michael Showalter, Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Banks, Justin Theroux, Zak Orth, Michael Ian Black, Paul Rudd, Peter Dinklage, David Wain, Melisa McGregor, Catherine Lloyd Burns, Abby Wathen, Melisa McGregor, Madeline Dauzart

The Baxter (2005)

email this review to a friend

Movie Review by Tony

April 4th, 2006

"The Baxter" is written, directed, and staring Michael Showalter. What is a Baxter you might ask? It is an average, nice, boring, risk free guy who girls settle down with but don't really love. They are the person who get left once the other person finds their true love. This movie would be considered the Baxter of movies. A decent little comedy, but in the end forgettable and left behind.

�

�

The movie starts with us meeting Elliot Sherman at his accounting job. We get a little history of his Baxter like life. Then we get taken into his relationship and planned wedding with Caroline (Elizabeth Banks). Along the way he meets a temporary assistant played by the always lovable, cute, and smiley Michelle Williams.

�

�

Elliot starts to have doubts and insecurities when her ex-boyfriend played by Justin Theroux shows back up in her life. Is Elliot doomed to be forever a Baxter and doomed to that lifestyle? Or can he finally break free of that preconception about him?

�

�

The problem with this movie was within the first 10 minutes I knew exactly where it was going to go and it ended up going in the exact direction I predicted. The movie is painfully obvious and predictable. Which is not a bad thing if we had some good characters to work with.

�Elizabeth Banks Michael Showalter and Peter Dinklage in IFC Films' The Baxter

�

Which leads me into the biggest problem with the movie, which is Michael Showalter's performance. He made this guy into a complete dork and nerd with no real interesting qualities to him. With another recent comedy, "40 Year Old Virgin", you had a more likable, sweet, and funny character. I was more annoyed with Showlater then behind him to get romance. You can see why he was doomed to be a Baxter.

�

�

I did enjoy Michelle Williams oddball character quite a bit. But this is a rather uneven comedy with some random performances by Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd, and others. You almost felt as if they were in the wrong movie at times.

�

�Michelle Williams and Michael Showalter in IFC Films' The Baxter

Individual moments in this film had me laughing, but due to Showlater's performance, the predictable plot, and some random and unnecessary additions, I can't say this film is worth seeing. I like the idea of this movie, just not the execution.

�

�

-Tony Farinella

email this review to a friend

Comment on this Review:

Sorry, you must be a member to add comments to reviews.

Join or Login.

Subscribe to MatchFlick Movie Reviews through RSS