The disc: "Smart People"
The details: As I predicted when this savvy comedy was first released, in these days of dumbed-down comedies, calling one "smart" was likely to be the kiss of death. But do yourself a favor and discover this intelligent film now that it has arrived on DVD. Its characters are well-educated, even brainy, yet they act so foolishly when it comes to matters of the heart.
 Bruce Birmelin/ Courtesy of Miramax Films Dennis Quaid, Ellen Page, Thomas Haden Church, and Ashton Holmes in 'Smart People'. For a larger, high resolution image, click HERE |
The ostensible main character is Carnegie Mellon English lit professor Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid), an emotionally stunted jerk, who puts the moves on a former student, Janet Hartigan (Sarah Jessica Parker), now a highly competent doctor. But the movie is completely stolen by Ellen Page in a pre-"Juno" performance as Lawrence's studious Young Republican high school senior daughter Vanessa and Thomas Haden Church as her blithely underachieving uncle.
The extras: An unworthy collection of very conventional add-ons, like a standard "making of" featurette, numerous superfluous deleted scenes, some giggly outtakes and an inarticulate, insight-challenged commentary track by rookie director Noam Murro and first-time screenwriter Mark Jude Poirier.
Hap Erstein writes for The Palm Beach Post. E-mail: herstein AT pbpost.com
