In Good Company

In Good Company; tragicomedy, USA, 2004; D: Paul Weitz, S: Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson, Marg Helgenberger, David Paymer, Phillip Baker Hall, Selma Blair, Malcolm McDowell

Dan Foreman (51)works as an executive in one American sports magazine, but trouble is underway: his wife declares she is pregnant while his daughter Alex goes to study at NYU. Also, he gets a new boss, the young Carter (26) who starts firing employees. Since his company was sold to another owner, Dan has to listen to Carter but gets furious when he discovers that he has a relationship with Alex. But she breaks up with him, the company gets sold again, Carter gets fired while Dan returns to his old spot.

Film critic Andrew Sarrison protested when one of his favorite films of 2004, "In Good Company", wasn't nominated in any category. "Company" is a sympathetic serious comedy with new actuality after the every new economic crisis, whereas Dennis Quiad and Scarlett Johansson are especially good, as well as the message about superiority of the older generation compared to the young and inexperienced. One of the most subversive jokes at the expense of the "young" is the one where the potential sponsor tells Dan that today teenagers don't read because "they get tired from moving their eyes". Another interesting joke is a dialogue between Dan and his younger boss ("That's terrible, Dan." - "Then why are you smiling?" - "I'm not." - "Your lips are turned up"). "Company" is a relaxed, swiftly written and crafted film, but still sightly too ordinary to become something more. It didn't make no mistakes, but no extraordinary brilliance either.

Grade:++