The Baxter

Plot synopsis:
Eliot is a dependable and reliable—though thoroughly average—young man with a streak of bad luck, terminally typecast as a nice guy in a life that mimics the clichés of typical romantic comedies. In high school he was stood up by his date on Prom night when her ex-boyfriend, the most popular kid in school, swept her off her feet while Eliot was getting drinks. In college, his next serious girlfriend's ex-boyfriend wooed her during a pep rally by announcing that he would abandon Lacrosse in favor of attending her audition to Juilliard. During business school, he and his then-girlfriend are intercepted by one of her ex-boyfriends with a puppy. Losing three girlfriends to their ex-boyfriends has made Eliot defensive at the proposition of being abandoned (yet again) and having his heart broken.
About a week before his wedding to his girlfriend, Caroline Swann, he discovers that she had a long-lost love in high school, Bradley, from whom she was inseparable. Eliot tries to keep himself composed, but even Caroline's reassurances do not convince him that her feelings for Bradley are buried. Though he makes a last-ditch effort to convince her to elope, she refuses, and Eliot starts bracing himself for the worst when Bradley drops by and begins trying to win Caroline's affections again. In frustration, Eliot has a chance encounter with an office temp, Cecil (Michelle Williams), who shares the same elevator with him while he blurts out his unfortunate past. As he resigns himself to losing Caroline to Bradley, Cecil offers him a ray of hope: she does not believe in "Baxters" and thinks that his predicament is avoidable.
The two meet up again later that night at a small club where Cecil likes to perform her original songs to finish their conversation, and Cecil states her theory: Eliot needs to take more risks. His problems began in High School when he didn't ask his first girlfriend to dance because she was on crutches, and this provided the opportunity for her ex-boyfriend to reignite her passion. Eliot decides to take more risks, though he is unsure on when and how to do so due to his reserved habits. When Cecil has a fight with her boyfriend later that night, Eliot offers to put her up for the night.
The next morning, Caroline and their wedding planner (Peter Dinklage), show up early to finalize their plans. Cecil wakes up Eliot, and he rushes to get ready in time for their arrival, and even though the night before had been completely innocent, he panics while getting ready and accidentally puts on Cecil's underwear instead of his own. After an accidental spill, the wedding planner spots the panties on Eliot, which completely breaks down Eliot's calm. During the meeting, Eliot makes a string of awkward suggestions, ranging from asking for a "funk" music theme and "baja cuisine" for their dinner plans. Caroline, visibly upset, begins to doubt their relationship and almost runs into the hiding Cecil a few times, though Eliot manages to cover.
After the meeting with the wedding planner, Caroline calls off the wedding. Eliot, having been stood up for a dinner with his parents, goes out to a bar with his friends from work where he accidentally runs into Cecil's boyfriend, Dan (Paul Rudd), and Bradley with his current girlfriend. Though awkward at first, Dan dismisses any conflict when he realizes that Eliot is "the Baxter" that Cecil mentioned and actually thanks him for letting her stay at his house when they fought. Dan and Bradley (now revealed that Bradley's girlfriend is an old friend of Dan) insist that the groups spend some time together and chat, much to Eliot's chagrin. Both Dan and Bradley laugh and joke with Eliot's friends, until one of them mentions that Caroline left him. Depressed and upset, Eliot leaves and contemplates suicide until he is interrupted by his friend, Louis (David Wain), who gives him a pep talk on behalf of Caroline, who was worried about him.
On Louis' advice, he buys flowers, candies, and plans to take Caroline wherever it will take to make things right. When he arrives, he finds Bradley already at Caroline's apartment, swooning over Caroline and upset about breaking up with his girlfriend. They cancel his reservations to an expensive restaurant and go instead to a burger place that Bradley knows well. Eliot feels awkward because of Bradley's personal connections to the owner and patrons, while Eliot's refined tastes clash with the blue-collar atmosphere. Even with the owner's help, Eliot continues to feel out-of-place and eventually calls Cecil from the back of the restaurant, confessing that he feels that his marriage will be over before it begins.
The next day, Eliot arrives at work to find that Cecil is his temp again due to a flu going around the office. When she proposes that they both go out and have a drink to celebrate their mutual misery, Eliot explains that after his phone call, the night actually got better for him. After their somewhat disastrous dinner, Bradley and Caroline demanded to go dancing and accused Eliot of being neither spontaneous nor romantic; he stands up for himself and defends his actions and firmly states that he is trying his best to change for her. At the end of his speech, he also reveals that he has changed his mind and now wants to go dancing with them, having convinced himself to try even harder to change for her—and reminding himself that his problems began when he didn't ask his first girlfriend to dance when he had the chance. Though embarrassed, the throws caution to the wind and accepts a lighthearted dance-off against Bradley, a former break-dancer. By accident, Bradley's final move, a spinning windmill, bumps Eliot in the face, both knocking him to the floor and bloodying his nose. Bradley apologizes and reveals, to everyone's surprise, that he will leave the next day with his science team.
Though happy for him, Cecil is saddened by the news because, like Eliot, she has always seen herself as a "Baxter" and hoped that the two could commiserate together. When Eliot asks what she'll do next, she mentions that Dan has a new job in Cincinnati, and she'll probably follow him there to resume her singing there.
At Caroline and Eliot's wedding, Bradley crashes the ceremony and declares his love for Caroline—a split second after Eliot has started his own objection—and Bradley and Caroline live happily ever after, according to Eliot. He takes off immediately to catch Cecil before she leaves town, and after a near-miss, finds her at her apartment. The two talk for a moment and Eliot declares his love, when the sudden appearance of one of Cecil's old boyfriends interrupts them. Eliot, refusing to let history repeat itself, simply chases him off rather than let him get started with another speech. The film closes with the pair performing in the same club where they had their first date, with Cecil singing one of her songs and Eliot playing the piano to back her up.
In a mid-credits scene, the film returns to Eliot catching Cecil about to leave with Dan for Cincinnati. Narration begins, mirroring the narration done by Eliot in the beginning of the film, with Dan revealing himself to be a Baxter as well, describing his lament at losing the girl (Cecil) to the leading man (Eliot).

Tags: whimsical, romantic, psychedelic, satire, flashback

Review:
I'm actually looking forward to bringing my parents to see it, because not only do I think they'll really enjoy it, but I feel like it's finally one of those "movies their weird artsy daughter likes" that I can show them and know that they won't be either appalled over or baffled by.This is in NO way intended to imply that The Baxter is boring or sappy or in any way oversimplified  completely the opposite.
Like any good character study, the film makes the most of its preordained plot by reaching those ends through uniquely-developed means.One of the reasons that so many movies that could be labeled "family appropriate" are so bad is because the fact that they're so decent feels so contrived  like the raunchy and disturbing parts of life are taken out, and what's left becomes the plot of a PG movie.
It's good, and it's damn good, because, among other things, like excellent costume and set designs, great characters, ridiculous attention to detail, and beautiful directorial choices, it doesn't cater or pander to any one sort of person or audience  it's a clever take on a timeless theme, and it's executed in a way that that just about anyone can appreciate.
It's sincere, it's honest, it's believable, it's incredibly moving, and it's memorably unique  it also just so happens to be extremely polite, because some movies, like some people, are just polite by nature, and that's what makes them who they are.
But in this movie, you fall in love with the characters who seem a bit out of step, and it makes you want to bitch-slap the pretty people.
There aren't a lot of uncynical comedies out there, and this is a welcome one.It's also valuable for people casting in the New York area -- there are enough engaging performers in here to cast three or four movies..
The Baxter This is probably one of the most underrated films I've seen yet, considering that it's style is basically generic romantic comedy (meaning the makers underrated it themselves), it's gotten little to no viewership...
I never even heard of it before I picked it up off the wall (it was next in line).Anyway, you know all those movies about how the man and the woman love each other but can't figure it out, so the woman almost marries the wrong person before the man crashes the wedding and sweeps her away?
Well this is the story of the guy left at the altar, and his search for the "right woman" as well when his character is defined as the safe, content "nice guy" that women are supposed to erroneously try to marry when their lively romantic relationships go awry.
Basically that's the long way of saying that this guy is an accountant who spends his time reading the dictionary as a private pleasure, and now he realizes that he'd like to actually get the girl too.What's absolutely wonderful about this film is that Elliot knows that his problem is that he's such a harmless nice guy, but he knows that being a harmless nice guy is a really great thing to be if you don't take into account that that means losing a lot of relationships because women are more interested in romance risk-takers.
So he has to battle his own personality with his own personality while his friends give him TERRIBLE advice that sounds good (we've been there, now haven't we?), he surrounds himself with completely superficial people because superficiality is the only way he knows to fit in, and he totally doesn't notice the direct and not-so-subtle advances from the "right girl" who is, also, way too nice to take risks as well.In short, it's an absolutely delightful sort of aside in the whole romantic comedy industry, but still uses a lot of the tropes and techniques usual to the form to keep it simple and enjoyable for everyone.--PolarisDiB.
The wonderful thing about browsing video stores is coming across films that never came to your local theater - because they were filled with garbage such as "Fever Pitch" and "Be Cool" - and finding out these small films are actually pretty good."The Baxter" is certainly one of those films.
Just take a look at turn in "The Station Agent" (2003).The film gets wonderful supporting work from Elizabeth Banks, Justin Theroux - his entrance is priceless - and a genuinely funny cameo from Peter Dinklage."The Baxter" isn't the greatest comedy, but it's certainly better than most of the fare that's in theaters right now.
Of course, they're movie people but they add something unique to this special little film..
I really like "The Baxter." Now, I am a confessed Showalter, Wain, Black, The State, "Wet Hot", Stella fanatic, so I obviously have a history with these guys and their particular brand of humor.
Showalter is charmingly awkward and perplexed throughout, as a "baxter," one of the guys who are always left alone at the altar when their brides' true loves return to abduct them.
As a new kind of romantic comedy that doesn't necessarily play by the rules, The Baxter succeeds in many ways..
The Baxter (2005) written and directed by Michael Showalter, is a very predictable--but enjoyable--movie.Director Showalter has cast himself as Elliot Wendall Sherman, "The Baxter." "The Baxter" is the man who, although perfectly decent, gets left behind at the wedding altar when the romantic hero appears at the last possible moment.Elizabeth Banks plays the elegant Caroline Swann, who falls in love--sort of--with Elliot.
The plot is weakened by unlikely premise that someone like Caroline would consider marrying Elliot.Michelle Williams is delightful as the innocent young thing, and it would be quibbling to demand cinema verite from this film.Just enjoy it for what it is--not memorable or ambitious, just pleasant and enjoyable..
Though I originally saw "The Baxter" based on the fact that I loved the Internet shorts "Stella" I wasn't disappointed when the styles of comedy differed.
Baxter takes such a clever angle at filming the tired romantic date movie.
This fallows the rules of new comedies that concentrate on oddballs to be there focus, movies like "Napoleon Dynamite" & "Punch Drunk Love".
The Baxter is a fun little movie with a great knowledge of film (even if it doesn't practice perfect cinematography) and a good heart.
It's the type of romance that we want to believe in, and it's very funny.Written by, directed by, and starring Michael Showalter, he's a baxter.
The movie begins with him meeting two women, Michelle Williams who has the same awkwardness and quirky charm, and the beautiful Elizabeth Banks.
He's captivated by Banks' beauty, but immediately wary of her "perfect" ex-boyfriend (Justin Theroux).It's a comedy of exes and trying to hold on to true love, whatever that may be.
It's the classic romantic comedy tale, except told from a different angle - the point of view of "The Baxter".
My recommendation is to watch it, and to watch all the way through to the end of the credits - they add another little twist which most romantic comedies aren't self-aware enough to include..
The humor is subtle; the movie is more funny in how people react to statements people say, or the way that Mike Showalter says certain things ("I had a dream that Bradley was at the bar!") and how terribly geeky he is ("Let me just put my driving cap on.").
Justin Theroux, David Wain, and Paul Rudd are all wonderful as usual.I should also mention that Tim Orr did the cinematography, and his art direction is usually fantastic (e.g., All The Real Girls).I wish I'd known about this movie before hand.
I think the boys have found the perfect showcase of their brand of humor in this film because the absurdist aspects are thoughtfully sprinkled on top of a solid foundation of a cookie cutter romantic comedy story.
"The Baxter" is an unconventional romantic comedy, it is a little dark but it is quite funny at the same time.
If you've seen The Baxter, you know there is a scene at a bar in which Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux play a strange game which has two steps: a rhythmic, nonsensical prelude (tapping elbows on the table, pinching one's nose, etc.) followed by a non-sequiturial comment uttered in a cartoon voice.
The two ladies were quite good, though, especially Michelle Williams, who was so effective every time she was on screen that she almost seemed like she was in a different movie that everyone else.
My friend does not really like Stella-type humor and she liked the movie better than I did, so maybe it was kind of an expectations problem as well..
Maybe half a star for Theroux (for somehow coming off sleazier than Showalter) and another half for Ian Black (who shows us what got him those Sierra Mist commercials), but I'm not good with fractions so FTS and besides The Baxter gets stripped of at least one full star due to Peter Dinklage's WAY over the top, stereotypical turn as Benson Hedges, the gay, midget wedding planner (he set us back 50 years).
You don't remember that name invoked in the recent 40 Year-Old Virgin; well, it should have been because Steve Carell's Andy is not only a virgin but also a Baxter until his friends teach him a thing or two about women.Michael Showalter's a certifiable comic, proved in his successes with the comedy troops Stella and The State.
But some girls do love him, in particular the Naomi Watts look alike, Elizabeth Banks as Caroline, a preppy energy bunny engaged to Sherman, and Michelle Williams's Cecil, a wholesome temporary secretary in love with him.As in most films that play with the concept of the loser destined to become a winner, it's difficult to believe these two attractive women could fall for a Baxter.
I had never heard of one, but all of the characters in the film spoke of baxters like everyone knows what they are.
The reason the movie is so predictable is because you have probably seen the million romantic comedies the film is playing off of.
I could see how you could miss this fact if you were unfamiliar with any of Michael Showalter and Stella's other works, but it was pretty obvious throughout the entire film.
Also, Baxter is a term made up just for the movie, as stated on Michael Showalter's personal website.
It takes the typical romantic comedy and actually makes it funny while also telling a nice story..
Writer, Director and Lead Actor Michael Showalter ("Wet, Hot Summer", "Stella shorts") attempts to deliver the whole package with this one - even billing it as a Howard Hawks type screwball romantic comedy.
Throw in Michael Ian Black (looking pretty rough in the colored briefs) and Paul Rudd (fresh off great reviews for "The 40 year old Virgin") and you see what I mean about the supporting cast.The idea of a "baxter" being the guy (or girl ...
The scene in Elliot's apartment when Carolyn (Banks) ALMOST discovers Michelle Williams while arguing with Elliot is pure screwball physical comedy at its very best.This is definitely one to see and you will laugh a few times and smile many, but it will leave you wondering ....
Showalter plays a subtle and nuanced Elliot, whose mannerisms crack you up much like Barry Eagan's in PT Anderson's Punch Drunk Love.
Micheal Ian Black, David Wain, and Paul Rudd provide most of the laugh out loud moments, where as Michelle Williams and Justin Theroux keep a non-stop smirk on your face with their fully developed quirky characters.
I mean, the main character is really a dope, a geek, the type of guy that even romantic comedies make fun of.
And this one does too, a little, however, he meets the girl of his dream in the end just like in any other romcom.This movie has a lot of potential.
A dorky character surrounded by nasty, egocentric people like in the real world is a great setup for real comedy, with real humour, one that you can relate to.
Or Jackie Chan.Bottom line: it was a nice try to escape the pathetic and ridiculous stereotype of romantic comedies, but it ultimately failed, being an unromantic, long, humourless, boring movie..
The same year, State/Stella alum Michael Showalter (aka Doug, perhaps the best remembered recurring character of The State) wrote and directed The Baxter.
While it begins with a common rom-com convention - a girl is getting married to a boring guy when her true love bursts into the church to declare his love - it focuses on the third wheel, played by Showalter himself.
The thing is, though, that, when the film flashes back to the beginning of the story, the girl he's marrying (Elizabeth Banks) is the shrew.
The real love interest is played by Michelle Williams, as a sort of manic pixie dreamgirl who pops into Showalter's life occasionally.
Does for the romantic comedy what "Wet Hot American Summer" did for the summer camp movie.You know how in romantic comedies there's always the guy standing next to the girl as her true love makes a dramatic speech and whisks her away, that poor s...(read more)ad sap, is what is called a Baxter.Elliot Sherman has always lost girls in this manner, and he'a all set to get married until the viscous cycle begins anew with the return of his fiancés long time old flame Bradley.
Elliot then does his best to avoid falling into Baxterdom, and seeks advice from Michelle Williams, a quirky temp, which only complicates things.The absurdity is toned down a lot here from the "Wet Hot" days, but all of the actors(many from the previous film, Micheal Ian Black, Paul Rudd, etc), all give great comedic performances.
Elliot in the end will be "the Baxter" of the title, because he is the man who will end up without getting the luscious Caroline.This wonderful comedy written and directed by Michael Showalter, came and went without much fanfare.
Its heart is in the right place and Mr. Showalter got excellent acting from his ensemble cast.The director, like Woody Allen, just to mention another writer-creator, could have done better by staying behind the camera and casting his Elliot with another actor.
Not that he doesn't do a good job, but perhaps he would have made Elliot a more lovable character than what comes in the screen.Michelle Williams steals the film.
Zak Orth, Paul Rudd, Havilland Morris, and especially Peter Dinklage, are all wonderful in supporting roles."The Baxter" is a delightful film thanks to the talented Michael Showalter who will no doubt will go far in whatever he decides to do next..
He tells us the story about meeting the girl he was going to marry and how her former boyfriend Bradley (a good looking lad, the very opposite of Elliot) comes again into her life.
But there's this other girl that seems more honest and sincere than his fiancée, but she has a boyfriend...I would say that the movie has spoiled itself because we know from the start that Elliot is get dumped.
Even professional reviewers seem to have missed this.I am not sure that this will spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it yet, but I did check the "Contains spoiler" box, just in case.In any event, the hero defines a "Baxter" as the nice guy who doesn't get the girl in the end.
I really like the fact that this film highlights that being a "baxter" is an inevitable occurrence in life.
The post-credit bit with Paul Rudd's character beginning the story again from his perspective very effectively punctuates the intent of the film: Life truly is on a continual loop in many ways, with each person's decisions impacting everyone around him (or her) and helping to create what would seem to be a collective destiny.
If you have discerning tastes about storytelling, humor, acting or plot, then this "film" will make you wish you had opted for an evening of anything mediocre on CBS instead.Interestingly Showalter gets Michelle Williams, Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks to completely waste themselves in this drudgery of white-collar ...well...
So he refuses to see the love in front of him that is in fact the (here it comes again) awkward dork played (rather well, thank you, since she's actually a capable actress) by Michelle Williams.One saving grace of the film is a bit of underwear clad Williams.
A compromise to "true love." The epitome of "settling." Shorthand for a bachelor with lots of exes, who's kind of a loser.Quote from the movie, The Baxter.A little indie film that is on the dry side.
I think I only noted two or three cuss words in the whole movie.It is a silly little film.
THE BAXTER (2005) ** Michael Showalter, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Williams, Justin Theroux, Michael Ian Black, Peter Dinklage, Paul Rudd.
The Baxter is really a humorously written and acted film.
To error is human  and at least we and they can do a good job about making some humor of it, because in the end, these characters are likely serious about the sentiment, wanting to be happy in love..
One of the worst uses is telling the whole story as a flashback (since we saw the ending in the start); sure that ruined the whole movie, making it dead predictable.The story till the accident of the wedding planner was so well, after that things grew less importantly, the pace went lame, and the comedy became real poor.
But no such luck.(Michael Showalter) made a lovely character.
And compared to other American romantic comedies, like (A Guy Thing – 2003) which's nearly has the same story, it missed the same things.
But even knowing the story outcome and being cool with that, I just wanted a few character surprises to intrigue me enough throughout the movie's middle.