IvanF's Cut and Paste, No-Name Theatrical Review of In Good Company 2005...

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"I caught a $4 showing of In Good Company this afternoon, for three main reasons actually... a) The premise of the movie did seem pretty interesting, with a 26-year old boss dating the college daughter of his 51-year old "wingman"... b) even if I hated Lost in Translation, I did think Scarlett Johansson was pretty damn hot (hell, I even thought she was cute in Eight Legged Freaks... but that's a story for another day)...

The thing is, In Good Company was neither bad nor good. It was both the best and worst of both worlds actually, whatever the hell that's supposed to mean... I mean, on the bright side, it was better than Elektra... But on the other hand? Well, that sure as hell ain't saying much...

If you're going into the theatre expecting a comedy, then expect to come away really disappointed... I think there were only two moments that I really laughed out loud. With the Porsche 911 being absolutely the funniest moment of the movie, and maybe the basketball game being the other (I have been in an NBA mood afterall, with the NHL lockout and all...)... Sure, there were always little moments in the movie that did get a snicker out of me or whatever. Watching Carter squirm his way into his office after sleeping with Dennis Quaid's daughter, did provide a smirk or two on my frozen Canadian cheek (damn -20C temperatures today...)... but those moments were sure as hell too far and between...

... heh... Scarlett dumped his ass, either because of her father, or because Carter said he loved her...

Because if you're going into movie theatre, expecting a romantic comedy?... well, I'm sorry then... Scarlett Johansson was alright this movie, when she was sipping Starbucks while playing tennis, or not knowing what her father was trying to get at when it came to the pregnancy test... But if you came into the theatre, expecting either a happy, sappy ending, or even a hot Scarlett Johansson? Well, I for one left disappointed... Lipstick, weird hairstyles, and fancy jewelery definitely aren't becoming of her... And while many on the internet lauded the ending to the movie, for not being cliche Hollywood, I actually found it to be too cliche, Hollywood-anti-Hollywood, if you know what I mean... There was no happy ending, yet there was? I don't know... I don't like endings where there's just hope. Either make it happy, or make it sad. I hated it in Sideways, and I hated it here... Maybe that's just an irrational preference of mine, but still, I'm just not exactly a fan of inbetweens...

But with that said... well, while I was hoping for a light-hearted comedy with some serious moments here and there, I didn't exactly get what I wanted... But as a not-so-subtle commentary on corporate America? Then I guess In Good Company might just be your thing... it was much better than a goddam Micheal Moore movie, at least...

It was definitely one of the better movies I've seen, at depicting what life is like for both the employer and employees, when cut offs and bottom lines become the main thing... When Morty and Lou were fired? Just the juxtaposition between their two reactions at their old friend, made the scene definitely feel more real somehow... And Dennis Quaid did a pretty damn fine job as the ousted boss as well. At times, I didn't feel his character developed enough - it seemed that he only suddenly matured, after he punched his boss in the face. Ironically enough... His "constipated" look the whole movie was a bit tiresome. And his pride definitely was annoying - why the hell would he get himself fired, when he has a baby and a second mortgage on the way?... But somehow, it all did feel pretty natural, considering he was now second in command to a boy only half his age... the boy he never had...

Now, to be honest, I'm quite the fan of the business world. And hell, except for some extreme circumstances, I'm quite the fan of globalization as well (although that statement alone would get my head sliced off in university...)... But I absolutely, vehemently hate convergence in technology. And that's exactly what this movie points out best... Dennis Quaid is the old timer "dinosaur", who knows that humble seats at Lakers games, and a nice shiner on a young upstart, are exactly the kinds of things that old timer buyers need to be persuaded... Meanwhile, Topher Grace of That 70's Show fame, ironically goes all new age technological crap on everyone, even offering cereal box ad space to an old man who just wants to stick with what used to work in the 70s... I may not have found In Good Company to be in good company when it came to comedy, but I definitely did find some decent moments to be a rather witty satire of real life (the dinosaur cellphones for toddlers, for example...). I mean, sure I found the boss guy's comment of feeling "used" and a "placeball" at the end to be rather corny and cliche, but it definitely did hit home the central theme of the movie... although I don't really agree with the moral (Topher learning maturity was definitely enough to roll my eyes)...

The one thing that I really did enjoy about this film however, was its lovely Oedipal Complex in full swing. I mean, just think about it... You have an old man who never had a son. You then had a young boss who never had a father... The young man then desperately invites himself to a home cooked dinner at his "wingman's" home (which come to think of it, was a hilariously funny moment as well...), only to end up boning the daughter he meets there a few months later... which separates the daughter from the father, naturally... So if you think of Dan Foreman as the father figure, and Carter as the son, then essentially Carter is boning his own sister and breaking up the loving family by doing so... While most of the public may choose to enjoy the film simply for its more light-hearted moments, I personally can't help but smirk and smile at the fact... that any decent romance in a film, is an incest fest at best... and I'm lovin' it, but I digress...

I suppose Topher and Scarlett had some good chemistry with each other. I liked how brutally honest he was in her home... and just their general speech awkwardness, while playing foosball or shaking his leg at cafe coffee, definitely had a more "realistic" tone to it than most romantic comedies you see these days... and I suppose if you add in Dennis Quaid into the mix, as the third party (like the audience, in this case), rolling his eyes and groaning at the two young lovers holding hands, then maybe In Good Company is worth a watch or two... if only because Johansson in those tennis scenes was kind of hot...

But no, the movie definitely wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread or dinosaur cellphones, as some film critics on the net seem to claim... To be honest, it wasn't much better than Elektra was. As the good scenes in In Good Company, just couldn't keep a smile on my face for the two hours that I paid them to do so...

Still, as a commentary on corporate America, and perhaps just for the laughs at seeing a desperate businessman attempt to slow down his life, then maybe In Good Company really is in good company... as long as they don't sell that company to Teddy K as well, but I digress..."

"Well, this is long overdue but on Wednesday, January 19 at 9:10pm I saw "In Good Company"...and to be honest...this film was a decent little "office" comedy, with some affable romance in the film...but the film is by no means a romantic comedy.

The film was directed by Paul Weitz who along with his brother Chris Weitz brought us such films as "American Pie" (and producing the 2nd & 3rd films of the series), as well as the Hugh Grant starrer "About a Boy." It was with the Grant film that showed that the Weitz brothers really know how to do human comedy in a human situation. In the Grant film, Grant had to deal with the fact that he was essentially an arrogant prick who learned how to care for others through the eyes of a young boy. Through it all, Grant's character found that he can have a emotion and carry a loving relationship.

Now, the Weitz bring us "In Good Company"...a comedy in the office that stars Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, and Scarlett Johannsen. In this film, Quaid plays Dan Foreman a 51-year-old ad salesman. However, the publishing company that he is working for has recently been bought out by Globecom chief, Teddy K (Malcolm McDowell, in an uncredited role). As a result, Dan becomes a "wing-man" to a 26-year-old upstart named Carter Dureya (Grace). Carter is essentially the quintessential young lad who believes he knows it all at the age of 26. He believes he has success locked in the bag. However, as the movie progresses, Carter realizes through events and Dan that business isn't everything.

Among some of the highlights of the film are, Carter presenting in a meeting his idea for dinosaur cell phones...to encroach upon the child/tweeny-bopper market. As well, the way that Dan can still promote his product in the realm of ad sales in this globalized economy.

Also, this film deals moderately with a side romance between Dan's daughter, Alex (Johannsen) and Carter. There is decent chemistry between Grace and Johannsen here.

As well, one of my favorite moments came from a minor character Morty (David Paymer). Morty is Dan's friend and co-worker who inevitably is let go once Carter takes over the company. However, before this happens, there is a weekend meeting that Carter calls where Morty tells him that he has to get home to his wife who is slowly "poisoning" him...decent comedic moment.

Also, there was decent chemistry between Dan and his wife (Marg Helgenberger). Nice surprise by Dan at his own surprise birthday party. Also, the way that Dan was initially hesitant and reacted to Carter and Alex's relationship was well played.

Therefore, this film wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Overall, I would have to give this film a 2.5/4 stars and a 7/10."

Film Design - 7.0
Enjoyment Factor - 7.5
Overall (not an average) - 7.0
(2 out of 4 stars)
- Risen Phoenix -