In Good Company—Sometimes
it’s Good to Know What Kind of Company You’re
Keeping by The Maven
and The Blonde Film Columnists
Paul
Weitz's (American Pie and About a Boy) first solo movie
without his brother Chris, In Good Company, examines the
turmoil that takes place when a multinational
corporation takes over a national sports magazine. The
film focuses on the personal transitions that occur
within the office and the home with some attention to
the business side of things. When layoffs loom in their
future, the advertising department is abuzz with gossip.
The head of the department is Dan Foreman, played by
Dennis Quaid (Flight of the Phoenix and Frequency), who
is a 51-year-old ad man. At home is his supportive wife
Ann, portrayed by Marg Helgenberger (CSI and Erin
Brokovitch), who has just found out—even though she is
up in years—that she is pregnant again. Living at home
with the couple are their two daughters, 18-year-old
Alex, played by Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Space and
Girl with a Pearl Earring). Alex has recently decided to
go to N.Y.C, which is substantially more expensive than
the local college. This puts yet another burden on Dan.
Meanwhile, the new head of the advertising
department takes over Dan's position as well as becoming
Dan's boss. He is Carter Duryea, a hotshot 26-year-old
played by Topher Grace (That 70's Show and Win a Date
with Tad Hamilton). Carter is nervous about meeting Dan.
He also has a wife at home who is nothing short of
unsupportive. He comes home one evening to find her
suitcases packed at the front door as she explains that
she is leaving him. Moving on with his life and new
position, Carter buys himself a new Porsche to help him
get into the swing of things. Unfortunately, he crashes
it as he is leaving the dealership.
The two men
meet, and here is where the story gets interesting.
Carter invites himself to Dan's home for dinner and
meets the family. Alex and Carter hit it off so well
that they start a secret romance. The big shots above
Carter tell him he must make numerous cutbacks in the
department while trying to increase sales, and poor Dan
has to watch the people he hired and trained let go.
Plus, he has his own family problems to work through
himself. Will Dan lose his job? Will Carter keep his?
Will he lose his daughter to his own boss? Can Carter
cut it? Go ahead and see the film to find out all of
these answers and much more! The Blonde: In
Good Company was like The Secret of My Success meets
Death of a Salesman meets My Boss's Daughter, meets The
Father of the Bride 2 meets Wall Street. It was honest,
intelligent, and REAL. What a breath of fresh air this
film was. The storyline was beautifully well thought-out
and not simply thrown together for the BUCK like so many
of today's films. Okay, I am calling Brad Pitt! I KNEW
Jennifer didn't have IT ALL! I am SO RIGHT for him!
Don't worry, Maven, when I move into Brad's compound in
L.A., we will still write our column. Note to self…get
new boyfriend Brad to grow his hair back.
The
Maven: Back to reality… At last, a film about the
corporate world with more genuine heart than
back-stabbing. Paul Weitz (director/screen-writer) could
have taken his movie in the direction of a corporate
satire, but instead he chose to focus on male bonding.
The situations the character encounter are amusing and
adult.
The
Blonde: You have no comment about ME AND BRAD?
Fine! My favorite part of this film was the amazing
sequences, editing and cuts. It was not only completely
original but enhanced the story. As for Dennis Quad,
this to me was his finest film besides Frequency and
Backdraft. He looked adorable as well. Do you think he
had any face work done recently? He can't be aging that
well by himself! I wonder how Meg Ryan is doing since
she left him for Russell Crowe and then Russell dumped
her for another girl. I think I'll give her a
call.... The Maven: With all your
calls to your Hollywood friends, I guess you'll be too
busy to review a movie next week.
The
Blonde: Don't be silly, I always have time for you and
Entertainment News and Views. Ya know, I woke up this
morning thinking about Julia Roberts. I wonder how she's
doing with the twins. I hope things are going well with
the breastfeeding. Maybe I'll just give her a check-up
call. She might need me right now. Back to the film…It
was interesting the way the storyline allowed the viewer
to have a peek into the intricate workings, politics and
corruptions of the corporate ladder. It showed how
“letting people go” as they love to refer to firing an
employee (when done to a lot of workers), actually
breaks up a working family.
The
Maven: Wait a minute, since when are you an expert on
twins? When have you ever gotten up in the MORNING HOURS
and, furthermore, where do you get off giving advice on
breastfeeding?
The
Blonde: Hey, I HAVE BREASTS!
The
Maven: So do my sons, but there aren’t calling Julia OR
giving Laleche classes!
The
Blonde: Tough, I'm still calling her! She needs
me!
The
Maven: Well, what I want to know is why Hollywood
insists on showing teenage girls with clean
rooms?
The
Blonde: You’re not kidding! That is SO NOT REALISTIC!
Unless the NANNY or HOUSEKEEPER got to it first! Ya
know, I was just thinking about Martha Stewart. She gets
out in about six weeks or so. Maybe I should give her a
call and see if there is anything I can do for her
before her release!
The
Maven: Now that's a call you can't make. She can only
MAKE calls, not RECEIVE them.
The
Blonde: Too bad, I was hoping to help her with her next
cookbook.
The
Maven: Give us all a break! You know as much about
cooking as you do about breastfeeding OR twins…It's too
bad our readers can't hear me laughing out loud RIGHT
NOW! Back to what is real, David Paymer (Mr. Saturday
Night) gives a most memorable performance as an old
school salesman.
The
Blonde: He is always wonderful. David is one of those
actors that ya don't know his name but ya know his face.
About Dennis's character, it's sweet how the love a
father has for a daughter can be so pure and completely
selfless. It reminded me of the movie Meet Joe Black,
starring my new boyfriend Brad Pitt!
The
Maven: Yes, their situation showed that Father Knows
Best! His concern for her growing up and away was a
little hard to watch but realistic. Maybe parents of
college students can learn a few lessons by seeing this
film, even though this topic was just a sidebar. I enjoy
this movie immensely and recommend it to all. I rate it
a B for Bonding on many levels.
The
Blonde: I love closure in a movie. It truly gets me when
I have to drive home finishing the ending of a movie's
story in my mind. I mean, I don't getpaid for writing
screenplay endings. It's NOT MY JOB! I was grateful that
the writer for a change gave complete closure to his
story. OH HOLD ON, it's my phone. “Hi Julia, just a
second. I'll be right with you!” Okay moviegoers, I have
to take this call. I rate In Good Company a B+. Oh, and
for your snacks, have some FIRE Jaw Breakers in keeping
with the movie's theme. See you at the movies. “HI JULIA
I'm back! HOW'S THE BREASTFEEDING
GOING?”
The
Maven: BLONDE Speaking of phone calls, if you're having
trouble reaching Brad this weekend, he'll be at my
house…
The Center for the
Advancement of Jewish Education Presents the Film Moving
Heaven and Earth
Movies and Music create an extraordinary
multi-cultural experience when the Center for the
Advancement of Jewish Education presents the inspiring
film Moving Heaven and Earth on Sunday, January 23, at
the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, 6161 N.W. 22
Avenue at 3pm. Filmmakers Debra Gonsher Vinik and David
Vinik have documented he touching story of the
conversion of the Abayudaya people, living in virtual
isolation as devoted Jews in modern day
Uganda.
On an ordinary Saturday morning in remote
Eastern Africa, one expects to see many things—a
spectacular waterfall or brightly dressed Ugandan
citizens on their way to the market. What you do not
expect is a steady stream of men, women and children
beside elders with walking sticks, making their way to a
synagogue for a prayer service. But that is exactly the
case of the Abayudaya, (Lugandan for Jews) a tribe that
has been practicing Judaism for over eighty years.
During the 1970’s, in the face of rampant
anti-Semitism under the reign of Idi Amin exemplified by
torture and murder, many of the tribe held fast to
Jewish practice and beliefs. Today amid conditions of
extreme poverty, they preserve their tradition and
faith—building synagogues, keeping kosher, attending
Jewish holidays, and studying the Torah—despite enormous
obstacles.
In February 2002, a Jewish consul made
up of three rabbis from the United States (Rabbi Howard
Gorin, Rabbi Scott Glass and Rabbi Joseph Prouser) and
one from Israel (Rabbi Andrew Sacks) along with
rabbinical student Moshe Cotel traveled to this
community in Uganda. There, over a period of six days,
they converted over 300 Abayudaya, welcoming them into
the community of world Jewry.
Following the
showing, filmgoers will hear the soulful sounds of the
Florida Memorial Gospel Choir and foot stompin’ klezmer
music by Klezmiamians. This program is part of the
upcoming 8th Annual Miami Jewish Film Festival which
runs from March 19 – 27 with festival showings at The
Sunrise Intracoastal Theater, The Regal on Miami Beach
and The Bill Cosford Cinema in Coral
Gables.
Tickets are $8 for adults; children under
12 are free. To purchase tickets, call 305-573-7304 or
go to the box office 30 minutes prior to the film. For
more information, visit
www.caje-miami.org/filmfestival.
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