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Fifty-one-year-old Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid) is the top executive in advertising sales at a
sports magazine. He gets a big salary and enjoys the respect and affection of his staff of middle-aged people. But the magazine is bought by Teddy K, a media
conglomerator who appoints 26- year-old "bright boy" Carter Duryea (Topher Grace) to take over Dan's job. Although Carter ruthlessly fires employees who have grown old with
the company, he retains Dan as his assistant. Though now demoted, Dan accepts the new position as he needs the job. Aside from his family, he has mortgages to pay and
his middle-aged wife surprisingly gets pregnant. Shocked upon discovering that Carter has been dating and sleeping with his beautiful daughter Alex, Dan has an ugly
confrontation with Carter.
InGood Company tells the brutal story of the corporate world where middle-aged employees, though experienced, are weeded out to be supplanted by less experienced younger people with supposedly bright new ideas, all in the name of company growth. But the turn of events in the later part of this comedy makes it a feel-good movie. Some viewers may have expected the sub-plot involving Carter and Alex to be a silly mini version of
American Pie
but instead it gives the story some texture and heart. The same can be said of the sub-plot involving Marty (David Paymer) who, when retrenched, is no longer employable at his age and salary level. There is good characterization and strong performances. Dennis Quaid is effortlessly natural and at ease in his acting. Scarlett Johansson is just as luminous as in
Lost in Translation. Topher Grace adequately portrays the "bright boy" who thinks he has arrived but realizes later that he has not. This comedy gives us some
laughs as well as a dose of harsh reality.
InGood Company has values worth noting. In the film, the importance given to the family is heartwarming. Dan is ever aware of his responsibilities as the breadwinner so that even when he is demoted, he swallows his pride and accepts his demotion because he has to support his family. A man made of lesser stuff would have resigned. One sees the loving and caring relationship in Dan's family. He gets a loan to enable Alex to continue her college education. And Alex, later realizing the sacrifices of her father, ends her "love" affair so she can attend completely to her studies. Most of the employees had to reluctantly accede to the boss's desire to meet on a Sunday but immediately after the meeting, they tell Carter they cannot stay because it's a Sunday, it's family day. Another value is humility. We see this in Dan. Also in Carter. At first, Carter seems to know it all but later, he is humble enough to admit that he has learned from Dan who is more experienced. There is also friendship. The employees seem to care for and sympathize with each other. Even Carter decides to stand by Dan when Dan is threatened with the loss of his job. One negative value is the seduction of Carter by Alex. Usually wholesome, Alex is out of character here. Pre-marital sex is never acceptable. Though the movie does not explicitly show the sex scenes, the viewer is aware that there is a sexual relationship. Also as mentioned earlier, corporate culture can be heartless. The so-called captains of industry must be more caring of its most important asset—its people—for in the end, they can make or break an enterprise.
(Date Reviewed: 13 May 2005)
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