Lawrence Wetherhold is miserable and misanthropic: he's a widower, a pompous professor at Carnegie Mellon, an indifferent father to a college student and a high-school senior, and the reluctant brother of a ne'er-do-well who's come to town. A seizure and a fall send Lawrence to the emergency room where the physician, a former student of his, ends up going on a date with him. His daughter, Vanessa, lonely and friendless, who's been bonding with his brother, tries to sabotage dad and the doctor's relationship, but Lawrence is good at that without help. Is there any way these smart people can get a life? Can happiness be pursued beneath layers of irony?
Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Rachel Weisz was originally cast opposite Dennis Quaid in this film, but she decided to leave the project. She was then replaced with Sarah Jessica Parker.
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Goofs
Factual errors:
Spenser's "Faerie Queene" is misspelled on the blackboard, an egregious error for an English Literature professor. That the camera lingers on the shot may indicate an intentional mistake by the filmmakers.
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Quotes
Janet Hartigan:
[shows up uninvited]
Am I interrupting anything? Chuck Wetherhold:
No, welcome. We could use some anti-venom in the snake pit. See more »