Dir. Paul Weitz, 2004, USA , 110 mins
Cast:
Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlet Johansson, Marg Helgenberger
Middle aged "Sports America" head of ad sales, Dan Foreman's (Dennis Quaid) seemingly (almost) perfect life takes a decided turn for the worse when a corporate merger forces him to accept not only a demotion, but also a 26 whiz kid exec, Carter Duryea (Topher Grace), as his humiliatingly young boss. But Dan is unable to quit; his wife (Marg Helgenberger) has become unexpectedly pregnant, and his daughter, Alex (Scarlet Johansson), wants to transfer to the hideously expensive NYU. To add to his woes Alex starts a relationship with his precocious new boss.
Paul Weitz's (American Pie , About a Boy) first solo film away from sibling co-director Chris, manfully sets out to be both a rom-com and a sharp comedy satire on corporate politics, that delves into the mid-life and mid-twenties life crises. However, recent films like Garden State and Sideways have both dealt with similar crises with far greater wit and originality. That said In Good Company rises above most commercial Hollywood fare because of the sheer quality of both male leads performance's, which gives the film a comforting warmth somewhat similar to Jerry McGuire .
It is Carter's barren existence, despite his highflying success, that is examined and questioned most of all as the story progresses. A divorcee after just seven months marriage, he has absolutely no one with whom to celebrate his newfound wealth (unimaginatively he resorts to the cliché of buying a porche - which is immediately wrecked). Grace manages to imbue what could have easily been a hateful "synergy" babbling corporate automaton with surprising humanity, and a real sense of growing self-awareness. Grace has been mentioned in hushed whispers as the young Tom Hanks of his generation, and it is easy to see why.
A star of old, still making his welcome comeback, Quaid effortless strolls through his performance, lending Dan exactly the right feeling of the old-school ad sales man comfortable in his own skin, who is suddenly shaken by the bottom line driven approach of Carter. Quaid's magnetism almost glosses over the implausibility that business could still be done in such a folksy way, even by old dogs like Dan.
Scarlet Johansson, already a star since hitting the big time with Lost in Translation, seems to be firmly in autopilot mode in this no more than functional supporting role. An odd knowingness or coldness creeps into some moments, like she's "phoning-in" the performance. This is further highlighted by the occasional effortless emotional magnetism she brings to certain scenes, especially with Grace.
The third act sees most of the actors and director/writer's admittedly good work come to not very much, despite Malcolm McDowell's (unbilled) witty take on the Murdoch-like corporate mogul Teddy K. Yes, its heart warming and feel good ending, but the disingenuous suggestion that Corporations will simply go away in the face of Dan's good-hearted honesty sadly just does not ring true.
Paul Nash
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