Curtis Hanson directs this comedic coming-of-middle-age tale about Professor Grady Tripp, a man with a lot on his mind. His wife, Emily, has just left him. His mistress, Sara Gaskel, is pregnant. His beautiful young boarder, Hannah Green, has the hots for him. His quirky writing student, James Leer, wants to be him. And his editor, Terry Crabtree, has been desperately waiting for the follow-up to his extremely successful first novel for seven years. Throw a transvestite, a dead dog, stolen Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, and an irate James Brown look-alike into the mix and Grady's anxiety is understandable. As his worlds collide during Wordfest, a literary festival held at the university, Grady embarks on a seemingly endless weekend full of mistakes and mix-ups that ultimately lead him to self-discovery. A stellar cast--with standout performances from Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, and Robert Downey Jr.--brings this poignant story to life. Hanson tells the tale simply and effectively, with many scenes silent of background noise or music, trusting the audience to concentrate instead on the brilliant acting and writing.


























