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It doesn't take long before Carter realizes
he is in over his head - both professionally and personally. Although he
has been fortunate enough to land an amazing job, he has no one to share
his success with as his wife of 7 months has left him. Frightened and
alone with no one to turn to, Dan half-heartedly extends an invitation
to Carter to join his family for dinner. Needless to say, Carter jumps
at the invite. And it's not long before Dan realizes what a mistake it
was to have the boss over. It seems that Carter has taken a fancy to
Dan's 18 year old daughter Alex and she to him. Trying to keep their
relationship a secret from Dan, Alex and Carter embark on a whirlwind
romance, while Dan slowing agonizes over his life.
Written and directed by Paul Weitz, while
the film has many good elements, a myriad of flaws often overshadows
what could have been an evenly paced flow of comedy and drama. Despite
the strength and potential of the main storyline (the crossroads faced
by Dan and Carter and the behavioral human reaction of each), Weitz goes
off on tangents spending more time on sub-plots instead of cultivating
the driving forces behind Dan and Carter which are the main thrust of
the story. Sure, attention must be paid to the relationship between
Carter and Alex as this fuels much of the story, but not the extent paid
by Weitz and certainly not when the entire encounter leaves one with the
feeling it was merely dropped into the film as opposed to woven into the
story. Weitz also misses the boat in providing core information about
the careers of Carter and Dan, the corporate workings of the company,
the ad sales position itself, all of which are sorely needed to solidify
the film's intent and meaning.
No fault be found with the cast however.
Dennis Quaid as Dan is, as always, stellar. And as comes as no surprise,
he carries this film as it ebbs and flows based on his relationships
with the various characters. This is probably one of the most emotional
multi-dimensional roles he has played since "The Rookie" and
he is superb from start to finish. Powerful and engaging with an
overriding affability that shines above any inner conflict or adversity.
He has a humanness about him, an every man quality and sincerity that
anyone can immediately connect with. Topher Grace who made a splash in
"Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" clearly demonstrates that he
has honed his acting skills even further and not only does he fill the
bill of the nervous young executive Carter, his chemistry with Quaid is
wonderful. And while he works well with Quaid, his interaction with
Scarlett Johansson as Alex is even better. There is an obvious genuine
warmth that surfaces from the minute they meet on screen which aids in
forgiving Weitz for the unbalanced amount of time spent on their
relationship. On the other hand, they are such a joy to see interact,
that disappointment is the final feeling when their relationship is
never fully brought to fruition. Not to be overlooked is the
father-daughter relationship between Quaid and Johansson which only
serves to enhance Johansson's under-developed character. Unfortunately,
supporting performances of Marg Helgenberger as Dan's wife and Selma
Blair as Carter's ex, get lost in the shuffle and are poorly developed
and although important to the development of other characters, are
forgettable.
Despite its shortcomings, "In Good
Company" is a heartfelt film that touches on the elements of human
behavior. Easy-going with an easy gentle flow, there is a realism that
will connect with us all.
Dan Foreman: Dennis Quaid Carter Duryea:
Topher Grace Alex Foreman: Scarlett Johansson
Written and directed by Paul Weitz. Rated
PG-13 (110 min)
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