Lester Grimm (a wryly melancholy Eric Stoltz, eerily resembling Conan O'Brien), is a young New Yorker who wants to be a writer but works as a substitute teacher. His major trait is jealousy: as a 15-year-old (whom we see in the film's coy, too frequent flashbacks) he spotted his girlfriend kissing a club promoter, and as a college student he spent so much time following his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend that he neglected his girlfriend and she left him. Now he's with Ramona (Annabella Sciorra, bringing an Italian-American spin to Annie Hall), a graduate art student with cute neuroses. Or maybe he's drawn more to her former beau, Dashiell (a bearded Chris Eigeman who, in keeping with the talk-show-host motif, resembles Dennis Miller), a successful writer described as "the voice of his generation."

By chance Lester spies Dashiell entering a group-therapy session. He joins the group himself, taking the name and problems of his best friend, Vince (a buffoonish Carlos Jacot). This set-up offers Lester and Baumbach the opportunity to explore the ironies and enigmas of relationships and identity, but the director proves more of a Mr. Softie in following through. He's heavy-handed in making sure everyone -- except his characters -- gets the joke, with such devices as a voiceover narrative wordier than the dialogue. Mr. Jealousy offers the genial growl of the green-eyed monster, but none of the bite.