Zero Effect

Daryl Zero is a private investigator who solves difficult cases without ever leaving his home, relying on his assistant, Steve Arlo, as his only link to the outside world. Brilliant at deduction but hopeless in ordinary social situations, Zero composes music of his own and drives Arlo to distraction. When a wealthy businessman named Gregory Stark hires him to recover missing keys, the job looks straightforward, but Stark withholds the details of how they were lost and what they open. The investigation draws Zero out among people and into contact with a woman connected to the case, and his usual detachment begins to fail him.

Zero Effect was released in 1998 and runs 116 minutes. It is a comedy, crime, drama and mystery picture from the United States, produced by Columbia Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment and Manifest Film Company. Jake Kasdan directed and wrote the screenplay, with Janet Yang, Kasdan and Naomi Despres producing. Bill Pullman plays Daryl Zero, Ben Stiller plays Steve Arlo, Ryan O'Neal plays Gregory Stark, Kim Dickens plays Gloria Sullivan, and Angela Featherstone and Hugh Ross also appear. It was Kasdan's first feature as director; his later films include Orange County, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Bad Teacher, Sex Tape, two Jumanji sequels, Red One and Jumanji: Open World.

Made for about 5 million dollars, the film took roughly 2 million at the worldwide box office. On IMDb it holds 6.8 out of 10 from around 16,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.3 from about 200 votes. A critics' rating of 6.7 from 56 reviews places it close to the audience scores.