Catherine Lloyd Burns, Elizabeth Banks, John DeVries

What's a "Baxter?" According to Elliott Sherman's grandmother, a "Baxter" is a guy who never gets the girl. And Elliott certainly qualifies. An obsessive-compulsive accountant prone to wrong moves, El...( read more  read more... )liot could very well miss out on his perfect match as he pursues the blonde bombshell who will never love him but who just might marry him.

Flixster Users

79% liked it

1,439 ratings

Critics

31% liked it

70 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 31 min.

Directed by: Michael Showalter

Release Date: August 26, 2005

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DVD Release Date: December 13, 2005

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Stats: 561 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (561)


  • February 19, 2008
    I'm a huge fan of the Stella crew, but I have to say this one is a little bit underwhelming.

    The premise is really great and sets up what could be a fun and quirky romantic comedy. However, some of the writing is too "Stella-ish" and the jokes don't fit the context of the movi...( read more)e. And I don't know if it was an intentional theme of the movie to make everything so coincidental and cliche, obviously some of it was done deliberately, but the scene where Elliot recognizes the song from his prom and the girl says "Dance with her" is so lame. I've seen this several times and I feel embarassed to be watching it everytime that scene comes up.

    Some of the writing is very good, but it's really clunky. I'm looking forward to seeing more work by Showalter, as there really are flashes of brilliance in here and I think over time he could mature exponentially as a writer and director.
  • December 29, 2007
    A really great and innovative way of doing a romantic comedy.
  • June 10, 2007
    UNDERRATED. This movie needs to be seen by every girl who likes girly movies and every boy who likes girls who like girly movies.
  • November 6, 2006
    One of the most underrated movies ever. If you liked The State you'll definitely like this.
  • April 29, 2008
    Pretty bad. Michele Williams and Michael Ian Black are kind are fun to see but other than that, it's brutal and unfunny.
  • October 14, 2009
    Had potential, but nothing really memorable.
  • August 14, 2009
    this low-key comedy invents a culture of upscale WASP nerddom that Showalter gets to act out with the maximum mannerisms; Rudd and Banks are unfortunately diminished, mostly by mediocre dialogue; a major step forward in portraying the ultra-cool romantic rival as shallow and tire...( read more)some, showing how a person can still look pretty lame even after they fulfill a hip-suave-sensitive checklist--more realistic than Bradley Cooper in Wedding Crashers, the long-delayed post-PC-evolution of the Omega Theta Pi psychopaths in Animal House
  • August 14, 2009
    Showalter has a crude mise-en-scene, but that's all you need when you have such a pitch perfect script and characterizations. He skirts a fine line between convention and absurdism and does so beautifully. Michelle Williams gives an outstanding performance, and Showalter gives th...( read more)e best Buster Keaton impersonation since Buster Keaton. The film owes a lot to Woody Allen and Hal Hartley, but probably outdoes them both.
  • July 13, 2009
    I didn't expect to like this movies so much. I found it to be laugh out loud funny in some parts and I find myself quoting this movie all the time. Michelle Williams is loveable in this movie and you can't help but fall for the bad boy Justin Theroux.
  • June 30, 2009
    Another film I'd like 2 C.

Critic Reviews


September 15, 2005
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

No great shakes, The Baxter nonetheless has a quiet loopiness going for it. full review

September 8, 2005
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The problem with The Baxter is right there at the center of the movie, and maybe it is unavoidable: Showalter makes too good of a baxter. He deserves to be dumped. full review

August 26, 2005
Kyle Smith, New York Post

The only way to even guess that humor is being attempted here is to monitor the comical faces mustered by the actors. full review

August 26, 2005
Edward Havens, FilmJerk.com

Refreshingly free of the ironic uncouth toilet humor usually found in most modern rom-coms. full review

July 17, 2005
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Chooses to embrace, rather than transcend via zany bawdiness, the schmaltzy genre within which it's operating. full review

View more The Baxter reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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