I love movies.

I love talking about movies. I love talking about movies more than I like talking about myself. So from now on I will be writing about them. I will write about whatever it is I happen to be watching. Everything from Risky Business to Run Lola Run. From Star Wars to Elizabethtown. I hold no prejudice to any movie.

For my first movie, I have chosen, "In Good Company".

I hope you enjoy my point of view.

Sincerely,
Law



In Good Company
Starring Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson
Written and Directed by Paul Weitz


If Jerry Maguire were to have a child, In Good Company would be his son or daughter. Now, I am not talking about the actual man, Jerry Maguire, but the movie. In Good Company is like a mini-Jerry Maguire. The movie has many similar characteristics like it’s father, but manages to find a personality all its own -- which is what makes it an entertaining and touching piece of work.

Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy) manages to bring us some very real and touching moments with great humour in this very insightful look at the world we work, live, and love in. Think of him as the guy in school who used to tell sick jokes, but once you got to know him you discovered a sweet interior. Topher Grace (That 70’s Show) leads a pack of very likable actors in this tale of world dominating corporations and the romantic ideal of being something real and doing the right thing even if it means losing your high paying job and sweet Porsche.

Topher Grace plays Carter Duryea, a twenty-six year old executive at a major media corporation, who made his mark in the world by heading a very successful campaign for selling cellphones. On the other side of the world is Dan Foreman, played by the always strong-but-sensitive Dennis Quaid. Foreman is the father of two girls (one of which is played by the lovely Scarlett Johansson) and the husband to a newly pregnant wife, played by CSI’s Marg Heldenberg. Foreman is the head of the advertising department at a major sports publication and has been at the job now for twenty-three years. Foreman loves his job, but that job is now going to be the job of Mr. Carter Duryea, after his company gobbles up Foreman’s. This premise is not that original considering we see this storyline in the business section everyday, but what is original is that Foreman’s daughter, Alex, after enrolling into NYU and moving to the big bad city, falls for and seduces Carter behind her father’s back. Now, dating your father’s boss is not that crazy of an idea, but dating your father’s much younger boss sure is.

The first time Carter and Alex meet in the elevator on Carter’s first day at work, he tells her that he is “scared sh**less” and that he doesn’t know what he is doing. A moment of honesty amoungst many that he has in front of her and only her (now what girl wouldn’t fall for that). Now we all know that men are not that honest on a regular basis and Carter is no exception. For most of his life he has been a slick facade. His co-workers think he is a cool, dominating, smooth-talking kind of guy and to his wife he is pretty much the same. He tries to convince her that he can change and will eventually take her on a honeymoon, but she doesn’t buy it and heads for the door and an eventual divorce. Queue the soul-searching scenes and the journey of a man looking to be “real” (cough, cough, Jerry Maguire).

Carter has his youth, lots of money, and a nice Porsche. Dan has a wonderful family, but none of the above. In real life, this usually is not really a big problem, but in the sugary world of the movies -- this is always a problem. So, naturally Carter envies Dan’s life and spends the movie trying to find all the answers to all his questions from him, while Dan worries about tuition fees and if he has enough man left in himself to raise another child -- not to mention the cow he has when he discovers that his sweet and innocent daughter is sleeping behind his back with his boss.

We can all agree that we live in a tumultuous time, searching for some kind direction or reassurance that everything can and will turn out okay in the end. A world where we can find harmony at work and at play. Unfortunately that is not going to happen anytime soon, so feel free to jump into the world of In Good Company, where at least for 109 minutes you know you will feel inspired and maybe even just might fall in love with this modern day tale of romance.


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: An insightful and funny look at modern day work and play.

The Bad: You’ve seen a lot of the situations and scenes before.

The Law: Check it out for its insightful look at relationships and likable cast.