Two's Company
I watched In Good Company, starring Topher Grace and Dennis Quaid, last week. Wow.
In this film, Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid), a happily married man with two daughters, is demoted from his job as a magazine ad sales director when his publication is purchased by a larger company. Serving as his new boss is Carter Duryea (Topher Grace), an upstart 26 year-old with little practical experience in ad sales. Making matters more complicated, Foreman's daughter, Alex (Scarlett Johansson) wants to transfer to NYU (a much more expensive school than SUNY, where she was previously taking classes), and he's just found out that he has another child on the way. Duryea's own life is no less complicated. His wife has just left him, and he knows that he's not quite qualified for his new job. When Careter meets Alex, he almost immediately falls for her, and the two must keep the relationship secret from her father. What results is a wrenchingly true portrait of human relationships.
What can I say about Dennis Quaid? First of all, he still looks great. And throughout his career, the guy has kept working. He turns in a great performance in this movie. His character deals with alot of difficult situations, and Quaid allows the viewer to see how Foreman struggles with many of his decisions. But Foreman always acts with the kind of touching, good-guy grace that endears you to him. I thought that overall, this was Quaid's film. He really shines in it, displaying all of the acting chops he's gained in a long career of experience. Topher Grace is wonderful as well as the smooth-talking, ambitious Carter Duryea, who suffers from loneliness and an aimlessness that he can't, at first, comprehend. Scarlett Johansson, as Alex, also offers a subtle performance. Some of her work near the end of the film is really exceptional.
This is not necessarily an uplifting movie. The characters are, by turns, depressed, hopeless, scared, annoyed. But life is messy. And this movie portrays real life, with all of its uncomfortable realities. While the film does not end on a depressing note, all of the character's struggles are not wrapped up in a neat little bow. Some ambiguity is evident in the ending.
This would be a good film for teens, as there is no nudity and little language. There are also no graphic love scenes.
In this film, Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid), a happily married man with two daughters, is demoted from his job as a magazine ad sales director when his publication is purchased by a larger company. Serving as his new boss is Carter Duryea (Topher Grace), an upstart 26 year-old with little practical experience in ad sales. Making matters more complicated, Foreman's daughter, Alex (Scarlett Johansson) wants to transfer to NYU (a much more expensive school than SUNY, where she was previously taking classes), and he's just found out that he has another child on the way. Duryea's own life is no less complicated. His wife has just left him, and he knows that he's not quite qualified for his new job. When Careter meets Alex, he almost immediately falls for her, and the two must keep the relationship secret from her father. What results is a wrenchingly true portrait of human relationships.
What can I say about Dennis Quaid? First of all, he still looks great. And throughout his career, the guy has kept working. He turns in a great performance in this movie. His character deals with alot of difficult situations, and Quaid allows the viewer to see how Foreman struggles with many of his decisions. But Foreman always acts with the kind of touching, good-guy grace that endears you to him. I thought that overall, this was Quaid's film. He really shines in it, displaying all of the acting chops he's gained in a long career of experience. Topher Grace is wonderful as well as the smooth-talking, ambitious Carter Duryea, who suffers from loneliness and an aimlessness that he can't, at first, comprehend. Scarlett Johansson, as Alex, also offers a subtle performance. Some of her work near the end of the film is really exceptional.
This is not necessarily an uplifting movie. The characters are, by turns, depressed, hopeless, scared, annoyed. But life is messy. And this movie portrays real life, with all of its uncomfortable realities. While the film does not end on a depressing note, all of the character's struggles are not wrapped up in a neat little bow. Some ambiguity is evident in the ending.
This would be a good film for teens, as there is no nudity and little language. There are also no graphic love scenes.
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