Adaptations are never easy. But when a film captures the mood and feel of the original work and also feels like a book in motion, it's clear success has been achieved. And the celluloid adaptation of Jonathan Ames’s The Extra Man exceeded our expectations.

The Extra Man is an indie dramedy, but don’t let that turn you off just yet. In essence it’s a story about what it means to be a New Yorker. The New Yorker protagonist is Louis Ives (Paul Dano). Ives is fired from his job as a teacher, an opportunity he uses to pursue his dream as a writer.

This leads him to the Big Apple. Desperate for a place to live, Louis reluctantly rooms with Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline). Henry is much older and the quintessential oddball: he acts upper class while putting the rich down, he dances every morning, and he doesn’t think too highly of women being educated. In his spare time, he is also a male escort (an extra man). The weirder Henry seems, the more Louis becomes fascinated with him.

The Extra Man is a pretty typical fish-out-of-water story with extremely quirky characters; yet there are definitely a few things done to keep the formula as fresh as possible. This is achieved mainly through the characters, especially the protagonist.

Louis fancies himself as a character in a Great Gatsby-like story. That explains his own internal monologue, which amounts to him examining his own life in his own head through someone else’s eyes. Dano perfectly captures a character who acts with eerie confidence on the outside, yet is lost and insecure on the inside.

As always, Kline is a scene stealer; he helps make Henry not just hilarious, but also very human. What could’ve been a caricature becomes more of a character through his fine comedic acting. He speaks in an aristocratic tone yet acts like a lower class man. He turns Henry into a walking contradiction. Somehow, he also manages to make sexism seem strangely loveable.

Another actor who perfectly plays his role is John C. Reilly as the long-bearded Gershon. He finds humor in silence, though whenever we hear his unfittingly high-pitched voice,it’s even more comic gold.

Cinematc style plays an integral role in propelling the story. The Extra Man has a well-paced, very attractive visual aesthetic. It does its best not to capture the shots of New York we always see. Standouts include a shot of Louis in a snow covered Central Park, with the Velvet Underground’s Sunday Morning softly playing in the background.

It's no wonder the visual style of the film is so impressive; it comes from three great visual minds. Directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini previously collaborated on American Splendor, which was both about a comic book and structured like one.

Then there’s the brilliance of Ames. Along with writing the novel that the film is based on, Ames is also the creator of HBO’s Bored to Death. Both projects have a very similar, girl-troubled and angst-filled lead character (both based on Ames himself) who believe they are something they definitely are not.

The film is not without its flaws. The main problem is that it too often shifts to a cinematic formula. Also, the film seems a little bit pretentious at times. Plus... Katie Holmes' character didn’t provide any extra humor or intrigue to the story.

Overall, The Extra Man is a clear film with a clear message. It is a New York story that actually has something interesting to say about what it means to live in the Big Apple. For some thoughtful, meandering entertainment this summer, The Extra Man is a solid bet. ~Ian Phillips