Dir: Noam Murro
With: Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page

FROM the trendy typography in the opening credits to the acoustic guitar soundtrack, Noam Murro's debut mumbles "indie drama" from the off. Dennis Quaid is a widowed professor bringing up a teenage poet son and a Young Republican daughter (Ellen Page). Joining the mix are a drop-out uncle and Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) as a doctor trying to cure Quaid's achy-breaky heart. Very Anne Tyler/Wonder Boys in its soft focus, liberal manner, with fine performances from Quaid and Page on her way to perfecting the surly style that came into its own in Juno. Harmless fare but like the prof himself a tad overworked and predictable. As for SJP as an emergency room doctor - not in those heels, sweetie.