Film

This romantic drama is so layered in indie quirk that it’s tempting to dismiss the whole thing out of hand. Single twentysomething Brian Wethersby (Dano) works a go-nowhere job selling mattresses in a warehouse. His hidden depths are suggested by the revelation that he’s trying to adopt a Chinese baby. Into his warehouse and his life come hilariously blunt businessman Al Lolly (Goodman) and Al’s daughter Happy (Deschanel). Happy is a pure distillation of indie-chick flightiness, the 21st-century model (think Goldie Hawn without the giggles).

But this isn’t just a romance with a single-parenting complication. There’s also a weird thread about a homeless man (possibly imaginary) who seems to be stalking Brian. And then there’s Brian’s eccentric family; he and his brothers help their father (Asner) celebrate a birthday by eating ’shrooms and wandering in the woods. Yes, Lou Grant high on ’shrooms. It’s something to behold.

Aselton rejects the winky Wes Anderson tone you might expect, but it’s not clear exactly what he intends his tone to be. We’d have given up on the whole thing, but Deschanel and especially Dano are just so goddamn interesting to watch. Aselton should thank his lucky stars for such talented lead actors.