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IN
GOOD COMPANY (Dec 2004)
Director, Writer:
Paul Weitz.
Starring:
Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson, Marg Helgenberger, David Paymer.
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Team Mediocrity.
by
Jon Dunmore © 4 Jan 2006.
One day Topher Grace will learn that "acting"
is not "behaving like you're making one big apology."
 Playing
Carter Duryea (a character as solid as a bowel movement after drinking month-old
milk), fragile Topher assumes a Sales Head position over a company's long-time
Sales Head, Dan Foreman (Foreman - get it? Oh, Irony! Thy untamed Mistress!) -
played adequately bemusedly by Dennis Quaid - who is relegated to Duryea's "wingman,"
though he is twice Duryea's age and can obviously teach the whippersnapper a thing
or three about sales, corporate strategy and - most importantly - acting.
Themes of "family Norman Rockwell" and Duryea's pathos intertwine
with Duryea's and Foreman's handling of their business relationship, made more
complex by the fact that Duryea is secretly plonking Foreman's daughter (delectably
fleshed by Scarlett Johansson). Like Topher's acting, all these themes and situations
lack "grip" and would probably work better in another movie with characters
we actually cared about.
A drawn-out "romantic comedy" with
no payoff. Duryea "loses the girl" and foregoes the sales life - but doesn't actually settle on any goals. Er, and? The movie should follow
Topher's lead and apologize to us.
END |
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IN
GOOD COMPANY (Dec 2004)
Director, Writer:
Paul Weitz.
Starring:
Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson, Marg Helgenberger, David Paymer.
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