dierregi Young Louis loves F. Scott Fitzgerald and cross-dressing. One day he gets fired from the university where he teaches, because caught trying on a bra. Louis moves to New York and takes lodgings in the dirty apartment of Henry Harrison. Kline as Harrison is as quirky and hilarious as Otto in A Fish Named Wanda, only slightly older.Louis and Henry have one of the most bizarre relationships I saw on screen. Louis starts working for an environmental magazine and sort of falls for Mary, a colleague, while exploring his fetish with paid professionals. Henry is very cagey about his past and very keen about his "job" as an escort of elderly, rich ladies. Louis is fascinated by Henry, and asks to be introduced to some of his friends. Louis and Mary romance never really takes off. I found that more realistic than a love story, considering how weird the Louis character is. Having lost his father while young, Louis seems very confused about everything and hanging on to Henry as a father figure. However, Henry is very reluctant to taken on a fatherly role. Henry believes he is a gentleman, he has some repulsive ideas (women should not get an education), lives in a filthy and squalid apartment and forces his way as a guest in his rich friends Palm Beach houses.More quirkiness - maybe too much? - is added by neighbor Gershon, an hirsute weirdo with a funny voice. I liked Kline as Henry, because he made his pathetic and repulsive character almost endearing. John C. Reilly was also good as Gershon. Not sure about Dano's interpretation: a dreamer with little social skills, who likes the roaring Twenties and dressing as a woman is a lot to manage. Also, his Louis is not particularly sympathetic, which perhaps adds a bit of realism to the story.

samkan THE EXTRA MAN may be one of the slowest starting movies that you have ever watched. For at least a half-hour its two lead characters are somewhat annoying and/or obnoxious. But then something unexpected happens: The setting rises up to match the characters. The viewer begins to see the two "weirdos" in a different light. Where once you had odd-balls you now have a threesome (a late addition) who serve a purpose and draw strength from one another. Natalie Portman's character, upon introduction, is guessed to be a love interest that will transform, correct our young protagonist. But that is too easy and not what THE EXTRA MAN is about. Rather, NP's presence shows contrast yet connection to a stranger, alternate world. A comparison can be made to John Irvings books and characters, though therein the characters seem out-of-place in their setting and almost apologetic for their bizarreness. Here, the movie ends with absolutely no apologies and in the only place it could end, the milieu of NYC.The major fault of the film is that it may appear to be offered as a comedy. There are chuckles but THE EXTRA MAN is not particularly funny. The film would have been better presented as a drama. THE EXTRA MAN is most surely not mainstream material and one of those projects that is lucky to have been made. I'm still on the fence with Paul Dano. I wouldn't flunk his performance but some one more earnest; e.g., a young Andrew McCarthy, would have been a better fit.

Greg W. Locke I like the book. I like the directors. I like the actors. I like the location. And, I suppose, I generally like the visual style of the film. Seeing as how there are four legit movie star-level actors in the film (not to mention the expensive shooting locations), I suppose I understand why the film had a $7 million budget ... but, really, you don't see that budget on the screen. In fact, aside from having mostly solid cinematography, this is a very simple movie that could've been made for far less.But, like I was saying, I like the book enough that I can't call this a bad movie - even if I do understand why others might. Kevin Kline is great in what is more or less a comedy of manners, his approach reminding me more so of, say, Withnail & I than American Splendor. Paul Dano, who seems to be becoming something of a one-note actor, does his best with the flimsy adaptation, obviously doing all he can to believe in the vision of the filmmakers (a vision I suspect EVERYONE on the set secretly felt strange about at some point during the shoot).Between this film and HBO's "Bored to Death," I'm convinced that writer Jonathan Ames has no business writing for the screen. Had someone like, I don't know, Woody Allen or Whit Stillman adapted Ames' book, I think this movie would've stood a chance. But, to me, the only thing useful about the movie is Kline's often hilarious performance. And when I say hilarious, I mean hilarious to a very small segment of viewers ... fans of Allen, Stillman, Noah Baumbach and maybe Stephen Frears.

imastringbean i saw this movie because I am a John C Reilly fan, however, much to my chagrin, even with his minor role, this gave me many genuine deep "what the f%$#" laughs. I also like Paul Dano and think he really played this character well. His look of horror at his woman self was priceless, especially when he had to dodge flying Christmas ornaments from harry. it was quirky yet boldly in-touch and the humor spoke to me. It was a movie that I watched by myself on a lonely night and it certainly took me out of my head.this is the only movie I have ever watched that I was motivated to write the review for.