Daryl Zero (Bill Pullman) is the world's best private detective. He, like Sherlock Holmes, can solve mysteries without leaving his quarters, which is good because Zero is a social misfit. He can be objective and observant, his keys to success, because he's completely detached from the society. Zero never meets his clients, instead he relies on Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller) to serve as his link to the outside world. Zero spends most of his time in his penthouse, locked behind vault doors and about 8 deadbolts. Arlo goes to Portland to talk to a potential client. Gregory Stark (Ryan O'Neil), a timber tycoon, has lost his keys and wants Zero to find them. Stark is also being blackmailed and believes the missing keys have something to do with that. Zero heads to Oregon to find the lost keys and find out who's blackmailing Stark. When he is undercover Zero becomes someone else, he's smooth and full of social graces, he's a functioning member of the human race. While on a fact finding mission at Stark's health club, Zero runs into Gloria Sullivan (Kim Pickens). He deduces that she is a paramedic by interesting means, by smell. As Zero interacts with Gloria he also determines that she is involved in the case he's working on but is not quite sure how.
Jake Kasdan wrote and directed very smart film with Zero Effect. It is a little slow in the middle, but that is a minor problem. Pullamn did a good job as the eccentric Zero. Stiller on the other hand could have been replaced by a cardboard cut out and nobody would have noticed. Arlo was obviously the straight man but he did not have to be so stiff and lifeless. The events uncovered during the corse of the investagation provide some interesting twists and the ending is unexpected. Zero Effect is an intellegent and funny film that is worth seeing.