Smart People

Smart People is like As Good as It Gets meets Wonder Boys, but unfortunately not as good as the sum of its parts. The performers are all fine, but you can’t help but get the feeling that you’ve seen this all before.

The plot sees Dennis Quaid play a widowed college professor coping with the unexpected arrival of his adopted brother, played by Thomas Haden Church, and a new romance.

Quaid tries so hard in the lead, and succeeds in creating a well-rounded, albeit totally unlikable character. Again, imagine Jack Nicholson’s character from As Good as It Gets, or Michael Douglas’s from Wonder Boys, with significantly less charm and charisma. This isn’t a knock on Quaid, who’s convincing, but more on director Noam Murro who failed to shape Quaid’s performance.

The same can be said of Sarah Jessica Parker and Ellen Page. Black comedies are tricky, requiring just the right tone and approach, and Murro doesn’t find it here.

The saving grace is Thomas Haden Church. Not only does he get all the best lines, but Church also manages to convey a genuine sense of charisma. On paper, his character’s just as flat as the others, but Church actually makes us care about him, and in doing so, saves the film.