Like the first edition of "Rossum's Universal Robots, " a 1920 play by Czech writer Karel Capek that is credited with bringing the word "robot" to the world.
The problem is that Jack, based in Washington, needs badly to bond with his moony son (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is sitting tight in the New York Public Library with plenty to read and a cozy fellow-student (Emmy Rossum) to keep him warm.