Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Plustown A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

kfhines As a graduate student working to complete her thesis I absolutely loved this movie. So much of my life was working towards this goal of having my masters but the afterwards of it all wasn't figured out. Not to mention I love bar trivia. This movie is I guess a "coming of age film" it's the perfect film for those in their twenties who have done everything "right" but still don't have things figured out. Besides the storyline the movie is filled with likable characters, a well-written script, and a fantastic score that will delight almost everyone. Christopher Gorham shines as a nerdy but charming TA that is struggling to find himself while being pressured by his father to follow in his foot steps. Give this movie a chance and it will surprise you.

Amy Adler Paul (Christopher Gorham) is a doctoral student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Naturally, this is admirable as the school's reputation is very fine. Unfortunately, Paul has big shoes to fill, for his father is one of the most beloved professors on campus. But, Paul is having great difficulty finishing his dissertation, probably because of his need to "measure up". To blow off steam, Paul makes the rounds of trivia contests held at local bars with his friend, James (Nelson Franklin), a college test adviser. Since this activity is far more than a passing interest, it pushes his academic goals even farther away. Then, another complication arrives. Paul's world is shaken when a beautiful freshman student, Naomi (Arielle Kebbel) is a pupil in Paul's study lab. Bright and unconventional, she opens up a world that Paul hasn't experienced, one beyond the outskirts of Ann Arbor. But, as pressure mounts for Paul to finish his degree, be a local trivia champion, and win Naomi's heart, something's gotta give. What? This is a fine film, with an unusual story of academia most viewers won't know. It has many solid discussion points, from religion to family ties to cloistered environments. Gorham, Franklin, and Kebbel are wonderful in their respective roles, as are the lesser cast members. Then, too, Ann Arbor is tailor-made for a nice setting while the challenging script and direction are quite fine as well. Will it play beyond Ann Arbor? I hope so, for it has many genuine assets in the art of film-making.

John E. Johnson This film, set on the campus of the University of Michigan, makes the U look as good as it really is. Yes, I'm an alum, so I'm biased, but the story is well written, the cast well-chosen, and the direction excellent. The minor revelation of a secret identity is a great way to end this film. The professor who plays the father of the story's lead is an actual professor (now emeritus). He is held in high esteem by the many students whose lives he touched. It was a stroke of genius to build this role around him. Then, again, maybe it was so obvious, it wasn't genius at all. The film captures the procrastination and angst so many doctoral candidates suffer as they try to complete their theses. If you ever went there, you'll identify with this film. If you ever attended or visited the University of Michigan or wanted to, you'll find that aspect alone worth the trip to Answer This!

julesette The movie was good, not great, but good. Arielle was a definite standout, as was Evan Jones as Ice. I would have liked to have seen more of Parnell and Ralph Williams. Gorham's performance was good as always, but I still had a hard time liking Paul all that much. It didn't help that this 30-year-old T.A. was playing footsie with his 18-year-old student. That said, the love scene was the best I've seen in a movie in years, the juxtaposition of romance and biblical text was very effective. But any sort of enjoyment you have of their relationship is pretty much killed during the library scene when even I wanted to smack him (Which I'm sure was the desired effect). When he gets his comeuppance from her, it's pretty well-deserved.I've heard varying reports as to whether what they showed was a rough cut or the final product. Considering they have more screenings and won't be hitting the festival circuit till next year I would bet there will be more edits to come.The film is definitely a visual love letter to the town of Ann Arbor, and seeing it in its home was a special treat. I love when a town becomes not just a backdrop but a character in the movie, as the Farahs have done with it here.