Synopsis
A man with a "doormat" personality tries standing up for himself for a change in this comedy. Mild mannered tax accountant Elliot Sherman is what he calls a "Baxter": the kind of calm, unexciting fellow who "wears sock garters" and "enjoys raking leaves." Loved by bosses and parents, Elliot is a perfectly nice guy. And that's his problem.
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Cast
- Michael ShowalterElliot Sherman
- Elizabeth BanksCaroline Swann
- Michelle WilliamsCecil Mills
- Justin TherouxBradley Lake
- Zak OrthWendall Wimms
- Michael Ian BlackEd
- Catherine Lloyd BurnsStella
- Joe Lo TruglioBar Baxter #2
- Paul RuddDan Abbott
- Peter DinklageBenson Hedges
Recommendations
- 70
Village Voice
A sign of The Baxter's charm is that it's essentially spoiler-proof: We know from the get-go which couples will pair off, and the pleasures lie in the spring-stepped vibe, the natty throwback wardrobe, and the intricate goofball patter. - 63
New York Daily News
Modest and polite. That's not a ringing endorsement of Michael Showalter's good-natured comedy, but there are enough laughs in it if you're willing to settle. - 60
The New York Times
In the end, The Baxter is a Baxter of a movie: well meaning and mildly likable, but unlikely to sweep you off your feet. - 60
TV Guide Magazine
This wry, low-key comedy, crafted by members of the sketch-comedy group The State, swims defiantly against the stream of contemporary comedy, eschewing bodily-function jokes and obvious gags in favor of laughs so sly and self-effacing you could almost overlook them. - 50
Variety
May find a following among those who stand in awe of the names Sandler, Ferrell and Spade. But Showalter pushes too far: Nerdiness, after all, can be only so attractive. - 50
The A.V. Club
That's ultimately the film's fatal flaw: it bumps Showalter's Baxter up to the role of the romantic lead without giving him an equivalent increase in complexity or depth. - 50
Entertainment Weekly
"The Station Agent's" Peter Dinklage provides diversion as a gay wedding planner. - 50
The Hollywood Reporter
A wheel-spinner. The more the film stresses and strains to be funny, the unfunnier it gets.
