Themes: Love Triangles, Looking For Love, Underdogs
Main Cast: Michael Showalter, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Williams, Justin Theroux, Zak Orth
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
A man with a "doormat" personality tries standing up for himself for a change in this comedy. Mild mannered tax accountant Elliot Sherman (Michael Showalter) is what he calls a "Baxter": the kind of calm, unexciting fellow who "wears sock garters" and "enjoys raking leaves." Loved by bosses and parents, Elliot is a perfectly nice guy. And that's his problem -- he's safe and pleasant, but not very interesting, so as a consequence he hasn't had much luck with long-term relationships, and more than one woman has abandoned him for someone more exciting. Elliot believes his luck has finally changed for the better when he becomes engaged to Caroline Swann (Elizabeth Banks), a smart and attractive editor at a successful magazine. However, a few weeks before the wedding, who should come back into Caroline's life but Bradley Lake (Justin Theroux), her high school sweetheart and, according to many, the great love of her life. Bradley quickly makes it clear that he wants to win Caroline back, and generally in such circumstances Elliot would politely step aside, but just this once Elliot decides to fight for the woman he loves. Elliot gains an unexpected champion in Cecil Mills (Michelle Williams), a frumpy but adorable temp employee at his office who encourages Elliot to develop a take-charge attitude, though the results aren't quite what he expects. The Baxter was written and directed by Michael Showalter, who also plays Elliot; Showalter was a member of the sketch comedy troupe the State, and also works with the comedy performance trio Stella, whose other members, Michael Ian Black and David Wain, also appear in the movie. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Zak Orth - Wendall Wimms; Michael Ian Black - Ed; Catherine Lloyd Burns - Stella; Peter Dinklage - Benson Hedges; Paul Rudd - Dan Abbott; David Wain - Louis Lewis; A.D. Miles - Bar Baxter #1; Joe Lo Truglio - Bar Baxter #2; Seth Herzog - Bar Baxter #3; Jonathan Marc Sherman - Deaf Bar Baxter; Leslie Lyles - Sheila Sherman; Donna Mitchell - Judy Swann; Haviland Morris - Kate; Audrie Neenan - Pastor Pritchard; Marylouise Burke - Delores; Gabriel Millman - Max; Sarah Drew - Serena; Ken Marino - Jack Mechanic; Jim DeMarse - Leonard Sherman; Chris Spain - Tanner Bates; John Devries - Alan Swann; Peter Stadlen - Young Elliot; Abigail Wathen - Kimberly; Bobby Tisdale - Emcee; Michael Portnoy - Interpretive Dancer; Maya Goldsmith - Muffy; Jenny Maguire - Peg
Credit
Susie Farris - Casting, Jonathan Shoemaker - Co-producer, Jill Kliber - Costume Designer, Jill Newell - Costume Designer, Michael Showalter - Director, Sarah Flack - Editor, Jacob Craycroft - Editor, Caroline Kaplan - Executive Producer, Jonathan Sehring - Executive Producer, Holly Becker - Executive Producer, Theodore Shapiro - Composer (Music Score), Craig Wedren - Composer (Music Score), Glen Caplin - Musical Direction/Supervision, Mark White - Production Designer, Tim Orr - Cinematographer, Galt Niederhoffer - Producer, Daniela Taplin-Lundberg - Producer, Celine Rattray - Producer, Reagan Silber - Producer, Michael Showalter - Screenwriter
The Baxter is a 2005 film written by, directed by and starring AmericancomedianMichael Showalter. A “Baxter”, as defined by the film, is the nice, dull guy in a romantic comedy who is dumped at the end of the story for the protagonist. Much light humor is made of showing Showalter as a Baxter in several typical romantic comedy clichés; for instance, he is shown being left at the altar as a former love is claimed by her high school sweetheart, and being left in college at a pep rally for an underdog sports hero. The plot revolves around the life of Elliot Sherman during the two weeks before his wedding, as he doggedly fights off the curse of his former Baxter role in relationships.
IFC Films financed the film and produced it with Plum Pictures. They gave the film a very limited release; it had a U.S. box office gross of $181,872[1]
