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Roger Dodger
By Dave DePino
Perhaps the new film, "Roger Dodger," will make the industry wake up to the outstanding talents of Campbell Scott. Scott has played some interesting roles, but either the films or his performances always seem to be overlooked. Here, he manages to stretch in all directions as he carves, out of thick stone, the hard head of his character, Roger.
Roger is a rapid-fire, talking machine. He loves to hear himself talk, and surprisingly, people like to listen until he hits his stride and then his stride beelines into strident unpleasantness. He perceives himself to be a successful ladies' man because he thinks he knows how to "work" women. As an adman, he is always onboard with the clever sell until it's time to "close the deal" and then, more often than not, he blows it. He tries to make his victims feels less-than or needy - needy for him - so he can swoop in for the kill, i.e. Roger to the rescue, for at least that night's roll under the covers. Like a hungry lion, he stalks the herds of women in bars, on the streets, or at parties to scope out the most vulnerable as his prey. You see, Roger is really not a very nice guy.
Early on in the film, Roger is unceremoniously dumped by Joyce (Isabella Rossellini) who tells him it's over and he should "find a way to deal with it." Joyce is successful, sophisticated, worldly, tough, beautiful, and also happens to be Roger's boss. She is very classy, but Roger stepped over the line and she is turning him in for a younger model. Roger was well out of his league with Joyce.
One day Roger is visited at his office by his sixteen-year-old nephew, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg). Nick has come to the city without permission, knowing that Roger and his estranged sister, Nick's mother, don't speak. He has come to his uncle because his mother said Roger was a ladies' man and Nick needs help with his love life. Nick's a virgin and anxious not to be. So, his uncle, who is a vicious, pushy, arrogant, unpleasant, evil, caustic, cynical lout is about to tutor this good looking, decent, intelligent, sincere, really nice kid in how to charm women.
As the irresponsible bully Roger is, he demands Nick learn to smoke and drink, now. He drags him into a bar where they meet two thirtysomething women (Elizabeth Berkley and Jennifer Beals). Nick, being his naive, cute self, is charming the daylights out of the ladies and his uncle is becoming more and more of a jerk. Nick wants to be a player, but wonders if being like his uncle is really being a player. Well, Nick is now drunk and they are on to Roger's boss's party to which Roger was specifically not invited. After that disaster, it's on to the "fail safe" plan and the bowels of the city to an underground …, well, let's not go there.
It is almost difficult to call this piece of drama a dark comedy, but there is much to amuse, even if it's guiltily relished. We get to laugh with and at our anti-hero, Roger and our hero, Nick. Written and directed by first-timer Dylan Kidd, the screenplay is sharp as a razor and really quite intelligent in its view of the mating processes and habits of swinging-singles these days. Dylan's dazzling dialogue keeps interest piqued at all times. And, it is the dialogue that drives this film. The script would probably read more like a stage play than a movie. Dylan's direction keeps the players and the action running a mile a minute as the clock ticks away the film's 105 minutes. Crisp pacing is always a plus, but here, at times, you almost lose your breath trying to keep up. Another aspect of this film, which is both a plus and minus, is the chosen style of filming. Cinematographer Joaquin Baca-Asay spends nearly all the movie time with hand-held equipment and barrages of tight close-ups. The technique works terrifically at certain points, but at other times, it just makes you seriously dizzy. This is a perfect case of where less-would-be-more. Don't think that style helped editor Andy Kier much with his work either. Musical score and additional music adds a lot to the feel of the piece.
Performances are marvelous. Scott excels in a role that shatters forever his Mr. Good-guy image. He paints a horrible portrait of this womanizing scoundrel, but cleverly leaves just the slightest opening for snippets of pity. Eisenberg is so perfect as the kid who was thrust, briefly, into a fast life he knows nothing about. His Nick is sensitive, yet feeling his oats as a young man. He is really quite wonderful. Rossellini adds a dignity to her character that eliminates the possibility of a bitch-factor from her role. She is one together actor and a beauty who allows the camera to capture some not-so-flattering shots. The most memorable highlights of the entire film are the scenes with Berkley and Beals. As half of the quartet of fun seekers, they bring a reality to the screen that makes you think you are eavesdropping on real life. Both women are extremely charming and do splendid work.
"Roger Dodger" isn't an easy film to watch, but it is fine filmmaking and should be seen. My only major quibble would be Dylan's final twist.
Campbell Scott has several fine performances under his belt, but I would like to suggest as a video rental my personal favorite, which was not the favorite of audiences and critics alike. Director Joel Schumacher's 1991 "Dying Young," with a screenplay by Richard Friedenberg, based on Marti Leimbach's novel (with a different and more hopeful ending added), puts Scott into a terminal situation, having leukemia. He hires a young, untrained woman to be his nurse (Julia Roberts). With hints of good, old-fashioned melodrama, a loving bond grows between the two young people. One critic said that he though the title was one of the reasons that audiences stayed away in droves. Others thought it was Schumacher's AIDS movie with a disease stand-in, also keeping audiences away. A few praised the effort, but most just dismissed it. Also in the solid cast are Vincent D'Onofrio, Ellen Burstyn, David Selby and Scott's real life mother, the late Colleen Dewhurst.
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