" Have you met my nephew? His name is Jesus. " - [ Quality time with your absent uncle ]
Added 4/21/2009
Roger Swanson(Campbell Scott) knows women. He knows what makes them tick, why they are the way they are; from the way they wear their hair, the shoes they picked out or the look in their eyes. Roger has mastered the art of knowing women, what they think they're hiding deep down; and he blows his own horn about the very fact quite masterfully, and frequently. When his boss Joyce(Isabella Rossellini) breaks off their secret affair, Roger is angered and convinced she will change her mind and return immediately to his highly intelligent self.
A wrench gets thrown into Roger's routine when his 16 year old nephew Nick(Jesse Eisenberg) shows up in his office, hoping to spend some quality time with his absent uncle. Nick's your typical high school outcast, inexperienced, shy and naive; the complete opposite of his uncle Roger. So when Nick asks his uncle to teach him how he acquires the attention of so many women, he just might not be ready for the abstract knowledge that is about to spew from Roger's salacious unconscious.
"You drink that drink! Alcohol has been a social lubricant for thousands of years. What do you think, you're going to sit here tonight and reinvent the wheel?"
After bombarding young Nick with a truly brilliant monologue on the ravenous city streets, we find this twosome in a bar where Roger hits Nick with the nights' first challenge; converse with two beautiful older women Andrea(Elizabeth Berkley) and Sophie(Jennifer Beals) on the premise that they've made a bet for a thousand dollars; that Nick cannot get a woman to fall in love with him that very night.
This movie has its awkward moments, sometimes I just wanted to yell at little Nick("get out of there! I feel embarrassed for you!") and the reoccurring music is a little on the cheesy side, but overall this film is very intelligent.
Campbell Scott is brilliant as Roger, although the cast is great, he alone carries this film to a new level entirely. His ongoing rants and insight into the female mystique, not to mention his arrogance should really make us dislike him, but something in his portrayal is too sincere, and we see when the tables are turned that even Roger can be hurt.
I commend this film and it's ability to juxtapose it's two main characters so beautifully, leaving so many questions to be asked. Is it better to be overly aware, or blissfully ignorant? Does your heart break any more when it's happened so many times, and you have the ability to see it coming?
As Roger says: "Sex is everywhere!"
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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hillarious
Added 3/8/2009
i saw some of this movie on IFC and was blown away,i just had to buy this dvd.the characters were unforgettable and this screenplay was outstanding,a must buy for serious film buffs.
1 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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good movie
Added 10/12/2008
the guy is not quite a pick up artist but more of a jerk that gets girls.
0 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Roger Dodger - Compelling and Revolting All At Once
Added 7/27/2008
The type of character that is portrayed in Roger Dodger is like a lot of guys I have met. I have known guys that slowly drifted into seeking to stroke their egos by sleeping with anybody they could and acting like they were WAY COOLER than they actually were. That is why this portrayal is so amazing. It takes a lot for an actor to portray such a polarizing character this well. This is truly a great film for lovers of great acting.
Some people may relate to this character and find his desperation and antics funny. Others may be revolted by his personality. I am more in the second camp. One thing is for certain, this role was nailed by the lead actor, Campbell Scott.
The Story and the Script
Roger's character is manipulative, egotistical and yet obviously trying to compensate for something. He has an affair with his boss, played by Isabella Rossallini. Yet it's really more like she uses him till she tires of him. As he drifts from bar to bar trying to pick up women with transparent and conceited attempts to seem intelligent and observant, we get to see just how clueless, pathetic and desperate he really is. Oh yeah, this is a NY city story for sure!
When his nephew Nick comes to the city for college interviews, Roger takes him to many places where he shouldn't be. Roger revels in feeling like he has a lot to teach young Nick about women, yet Nick seems to do better just being himself instead of using Roger's sleazy tactics. While I won't give away the entire plot, suffice it to say it's not the story but rather the performances that impress.
In many ways, the supporting cast in particular seems to have been given sparse lines. Yet the acting and direction are so good that the script is perfectly supported.
The Cast
Campbell Scott really opened my eyes with his portrayal of Roger. Somehow he was able to really capture and portray the complicated mix of negative and positive character traits.
Jesse Eisenberg is very impressive, but his part was clearly written in a way that makes it easier to play than Roger's. Isabella Rossallini is wonderful as always.
Yet the roles played by Elizabeth Berkeley and Jennifer Beals are perfect examples of why this film works. On the one hand, they have minimal roles with few lines. Yet the close camera work allows you to see so many non-verbal cues in their faces and gestures. Their roles are minimal, yet highly impactful because of the way they are executed. Roger's co-workers by and large have similarly understated yet effective roles.
Conclusion
I highly recommend this movie to actors and lovers of independent film. If you are a huge fan of dialogue and sharp wit, you will find yourself pulled in to this movie. Definitely check it out.
Enjoy!
2 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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Shame they forgot about the plot.
Added 6/8/2008
A teenager goes to his uncle for help in learning how to seduce women. It's just a shame that the makers of this film forgot about a plot and made the uncle's character a bit of an idiot. I was glad when this film ended. A tedious way to spend 100 minutes. You have been warned.
0 out of 5 people found this helpful.
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" Have you met my nephew? His name is Jesus. " - [ Quality time with your absent uncle ]
Added 4/21/2009
Roger Swanson(Campbell Scott) knows women. He knows what makes them tick, why they are the way they are; from the way they wear their hair, the shoes they picked out or the look in their eyes. Roger has mastered the art of knowing women, what they think they're hiding deep down; and he blows his own horn about the very fact quite masterfully, and frequently. When his boss Joyce(Isabella Rossellini) breaks off their secret affair, Roger is angered and convinced she will change her mind and return immediately to his highly intelligent self.
A wrench gets thrown into Roger's routine when his 16 year old nephew Nick(Jesse Eisenberg) shows up in his office, hoping to spend some quality time with his absent uncle. Nick's your typical high school outcast, inexperienced, shy and naive; the complete opposite of his uncle Roger. So when Nick asks his uncle to teach him how he acquires the attention of so many women, he just might not be ready for the abstract knowledge that is about to spew from Roger's salacious unconscious.
"You drink that drink! Alcohol has been a social lubricant for thousands of years. What do you think, you're going to sit here tonight and reinvent the wheel?"
After bombarding young Nick with a truly brilliant monologue on the ravenous city streets, we find this twosome in a bar where Roger hits Nick with the nights' first challenge; converse with two beautiful older women Andrea(Elizabeth Berkley) and Sophie(Jennifer Beals) on the premise that they've made a bet for a thousand dollars; that Nick cannot get a woman to fall in love with him that very night.
This movie has its awkward moments, sometimes I just wanted to yell at little Nick("get out of there! I feel embarrassed for you!") and the reoccurring music is a little on the cheesy side, but overall this film is very intelligent.
Campbell Scott is brilliant as Roger, although the cast is great, he alone carries this film to a new level entirely. His ongoing rants and insight into the female mystique, not to mention his arrogance should really make us dislike him, but something in his portrayal is too sincere, and we see when the tables are turned that even Roger can be hurt.
I commend this film and it's ability to juxtapose it's two main characters so beautifully, leaving so many questions to be asked. Is it better to be overly aware, or blissfully ignorant? Does your heart break any more when it's happened so many times, and you have the ability to see it coming?
As Roger says: "Sex is everywhere!"
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
|
hillarious
Added 3/8/2009
i saw some of this movie on IFC and was blown away,i just had to buy this dvd.the characters were unforgettable and this screenplay was outstanding,a must buy for serious film buffs.
1 out of 3 people found this helpful.
|
good movie
Added 10/12/2008
the guy is not quite a pick up artist but more of a jerk that gets girls.
0 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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