THE MINUS MAN

Vann Siegert, a placid drifter, rolls into a quaint coastal town. Vann is so kind, so thoughtful and so downright likeable, that his presence almost seems negligible. Upon arriving in town, Vann takes up residence in the house of a fragile couple; Doug, an alcoholic still grieving over the mysterious disappearance of his daughter and his alternately tough and tender wife Jane. He rents their daughter’s old room and soon takes on the role of kindly confessor, confidant and secret friend to Doug and Jane. Vann manages to get a job at the post office and begins to date a fellow worker, the free-spirited Ferrin. The closer Ferrin gets to Vann, the more a cipher he remains. When a series of townspeople begin to disappear, it becomes clear that some sort of eerie subtraction is at work among the lonely and lost of this sleepy suburb. The Minus Man is a darkly witty and disquieting look at what lies beneath the surface of normality. It’s the directorial debut of Hampton Fancher, writer of the science-fiction classic Blade Runner. Fancher has meticulously orchestrated his film, building it to a near-unbearable crescendo. Owen Wilson (Armageddon, The Haunting) delivers a terrific performance as Vann Siegert. Janeane Garofalo (Reality Bites, The Cable Guy) plays the sweet and lovely Ferrin. Brian Cox (Braveheart, Rob Roy) and Mercedes Ruehl (Married to the Mob, The Fisher King) are Doug and Jane. And popular singer Sheryl Crow, makes her acting debut as an asthmatic junkie.