Robert Axle (Kevin Spacey) is a gazillionaire guru who invents quirky things you see on those “Like Seen on TV” infomercials. When one of his inventions – a channel surfing “ab” flexor – cuts off the fingers of thousands of customers, he spends
eight years in prison. When he’s released, Axle shows up at the doorstep on his wife (Virginia Madsen) who seems
to be channeling Stevie Nicks in a Kardashian mansion. She finds him useless (hilarious scene that makes
the movie almost hopeful) so he happens upon the home of his daughter (Camille Belle) and her over protective roommates. Phoebe (Heather Graham) is an angry lesbian who finds some of Axle’s character redeeming as their live-in
relationship evolves. Eye roll.
With little choice, Axle starts out working at a generic “Family Mart” where his floor boss is Troy (Johnny Knoxville) though we know this will be short lived as his inventive mind begins ticking. The irony is that he’ll come up with
something to keep children closer to parents, though he himself is unable to keep his daughter close (and no gadget is going to fix a long failed relationship.) He’s back on his game, but it’s always a game at somebody else’s expense. There’s a lot of Glenngarry Glen Ross meets American Beauty in his character, it’s just too bad the film doesn’t add up to even
half of those. If only he could have invented a better storyline. One and a half tiaras