PERFECTING THE DRAMEDY, TAKE TWO

By: B -- 2/1/05

I have made many idiotic statements in my young life. For instance, I once told my entire family that Independence Day was the best movie I’d seen all year. I also predicted that Kevin Maas was going to be a perennial All-Star when he signed with the Twins. My uncle still won’t let me forget that I once claimed “A Long December” was going to be the “Stairway to Heaven” of my generation.

I am happy to report, however, that one of my many brash statements has actually rung true: Paul Weitz is a damn good director.

I first claimed Weitz was a solid filmmaker when I saw his movie American Pie (co-directed with his brother Chris). I argued that he deftly juggled numerous personalities while creating understated laughs beyond the obvious juvenile gags. For this prediction I was promptly ridiculed, my conversation partners eagerly stripping me of my self-proclaimed “critic” badge.

My argument gained weight with the impressive About a Boy, and with Weitz’s recent effort In Good Company, I am finally ready to publicize my once-crazy prediction.

In Good Company is a male bonding film marketed as a romantic comedy. Carter Duryea (Topher Grace) is a 26-year-old corporate ladder-climber hired to replace the aptly-named Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid). While they struggle to maintain a business relationship, the situation is intensified when Carter begins dating Foreman’s daughter Alex (Scarlett Johannsen).

While the relationship between Carter and Alex is billed as a central storyline, the film primarily focuses on the bond between the two men and their separate but equally stressful lives. While Dan is troubled over family and money issues, Carter’s complex is loneliness. Weitz weaves the personal anxieties of each character into a lighthearted story, the result being an accessible dramedy similar to About a Boy.

With Weitz’s keen eye, what could have been an overly-clichéd drama is a unique story about the development of a father-son bond. In Good Company thankfully ventures far beyond the typical “Young guy learns from old guy while old guy is equally inspired by young guy” trap.

Like About a Boy, In Good Company contains a soundtrack befitting the film’s mood (except for the too-obvious “Saulsbury Hill”) and the use of flawless montages. Weitz’s fondness for employing by-the-book montages to advance the storyline is a welcome and impressive trait. Also impressive is the casting; Topher Grace was born for this role, and appropriately shines.

The result: In Good Company works in all the right ways. While it’s told in conventional fashion and fairly predictable, the distinct story makes for a worthy trip to the cinema.

POP RATING: 9

CRITICAL RATING: 7.5

B'S RATING: 8

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