Answers to Nothing is an ensemble drama from writer/director Matthew Leutwyler in the same vein of Crash, as it follows several intertwining tales of redemption and loss in modern day Los Angeles. Although it does contain several strong performances and moments, the film lacks the ability to bring any form of cohesion to these characters’ stories, many of which feel forced and unimportant to a film that, as the title suggests, fails to offer any serious thematic or narrative answers.

The interlocking stories include Ryan (Dane Cook), a therapist struggling to have a baby with his lawyer wife, Kate (Elizabeth Mitchell), while having an affair with a musician, Tara (Aja Volkman), and dealing with his mother, Marilyn (Barbara Hershey), who is coping with her husband abandoning her; Frankie (Jule Benz), a detective attempting to find a missing young girl; Beckworth (Greg Germann), the neighbor and suspect in the young girl’s disappearance; Carter (Mark Kelly), a video game obsessed schoolteacher who takes a special interest in the case; Jerry (Erik Pallandino), a rookie cop dealing with his own personal loss; Allegra (Kali Hawk), a self-hating TV writer who becomes involved with Evan (Zack Gilford), a kind and young music engineer; and Drew (Miranda Bailey), a recovering alcoholic caring for her brain-dead brother, Erik (Vincent Ventresca).

These creatively connected characters, while not too improbable, are neither intriguing enough or sufficiently explored. While some of these characters, specifically those surrounding Ryan, are given proper examination and focus, many of the supporting cast simply aren’t provided with enough motive or reasoning behind their actions or psyche to make us interested in their character arc. Instead, Leutwyler presents us with numerous character arcs of little consequence to an overall theme. The film struggles to create a connecting thread between many of these situations and characters, as it becomes difficult to invest in numerous characters and plot structures, many of which have very little consequence or importance.

Answers to Nothing feels like an idea that was never fleshed out or given a proper narrative or thematic device to connect them. It feels almost as if an overly dramatic, fictional take on a glimpse into the separate lives of damaged individuals living in Los Angeles. A few solid performances can’t salvage an aimless and unfulfilled script that neither goes anywhere or presents a meaningfully connected narrative, as it fails to give the audience sufficient emotional ties to these characters and their stuggles.

Grade: C-

Rated: R (for some strong sexual content, nudity, violence and language. )

Answers to Nothing opens in limited release on December 2, 2011; the film is available on Video on Demand.