Rated PG-13
Directed by Paul Weitz (American Pie, About A Boy)
Starring Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, and Scarlett Johansson
In Good Company is just like a Dodge Caravan. At first it’s great . . . but after a short while it breaks down and just starts to tic you off!
Baby Boomer Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid), top sales guy at a big Sports Illustrated-like magazine wakes up to find his company a victim of a corporate merger and himself demoted to make room for his new boss Carter Duryea (Topher Grace), a Generation “Y” kid half his age. This happens the same week that Dan’s wife throws him a serious curve ball—she’s pregnant. And of course, his college daughter (Scarlett Johansson) wants to transfer to the much more expensive NYU. Sounds just like life, huh? A great template for a good James L. Brooks or Mimi Leder film—one that makes you feel good at the end and walk out of the theatre holding hands.
Sorry, not this one. I guess that wasn’t Paul Weitz’ goal.
The movie starts strong. The blend of comedy and drama is incredible. The theatre was laughing hysterically one moment . . . and the next minute you could hear a pin drop. The film paints a masterful picture of the clash between Baby Boomers and Generation “Y” in the work place. It also gives us a realistic glimpse of the affect of corporate mergers and office downsizing—the fears and frustrations of the people these decisions affect. In Good Company is the best peek into the work place since Office Space.
The film also begins with likable characters that make you laugh and tug at your heart just the same. Topher Grace is hilarious, but also reveals the loneliness that Carter feels at the top—an emptiness not filled by his new Porsche, his corner office or his fat salary. And you can’t help but empathize for Dan, a committed department head and dedicated family man, humbled into the position of “wing man” to someone the age of his kid.
Then there’s the love story. Carter meets Dan’s daughter and a romance starts kindling—a sweet relationship based on honesty and good conversation.
An hour into the film I was thinking that this was one of the best films I had seen in years. I love a film that balances humor and heart. But then everything changed. (I’m going to talk about details of the film that give away plot points now—so be warned—spoilers ahead!)
About an hour into the film everything starts to go downhill. The first element that started the spiral was when Dan’s daughter decides to invite Carter up to her dorm room. Yes, that means sex. But then later, when Carter expresses that he loves her, she replies, “I’m not ready for a big commitment.” What . . . was sex purely recreational?
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Generation “Y” has been watching Generation “Xers” hop from bed to bed casually for years on shows like Friends. So maybe sex doesn’t necessitate commitment. Regardless, I didn’t like it. Nor did I like what followed.
The movie turned to quite a downer at this point. Even though the workplace situation somewhat resolved itself, the romance ends, and Carter’s status is left “up in the air.”
What a rip!
As people left the theatre, I actually heard them saying, “that ending sucked.” Others, “that film sucked.”
It’s sad. The film’s potential was great. But the direction the script took stifled people’s final judgment.
My recommendation. Go to the movie and have your friend give you an emergency phone call one hour into the film, demanding you leave the theatre at once! It will be one of the best movies (or part of a movie anyway) you’ve seen!
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
Nope. Little kids will be bored, and teens will just be convinced once again that sex is as casual as . . . going to the movies.
Side Note:
As said above, we recommend you skip this film. But on the occasion that your teen actually has already seen it, you may want to dialogue about the film with them. These questions below may be a help to you.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
