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Roger (Campbell Scott) gives his nephew Nick (Jesse
Eisenberg) advice about women in Roger Dodger.
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The underused actor Campbell Scott makes an unforgettable impression in the clever
sex comedy Roger Dodger. It helps that filmmaker
Dylan Kidd writes him a fiery opening scene that gives his character
Roger the type of introduction actors crave.
It's lunchtime in a Manhattan restaurant, and Roger is holding
court at a table filled with his advertising company colleagues.
Between puffs on a cigarette, he explains his version of the
battle of the sexes.
His words are blunt, mean-spirited and surprisingly funny.
Roger is a man who lives and dies by his witty monologues,
and he has everyone's attention, especially that of his attractive
boss (Isabella Rosselini).
By the end of his fast-paced rant, Scott has convinced us
that Roger is the most likable misogynist you're likely to
meet. For that astounding feat alone, for Scott's ability
to create a compelling and believable jerk, Roger Dodger
is worth watching.
Kidd makes his feature debut with Roger Dodger, and
the result is a hard-hitting coming-of-age tale that sticks
with you long after the closing credits. Set over 24 hours,
the film follows Roger's nightlong adventure with Nick (Jesse
Eisenberg), his 16-year-old nephew from the Midwest who came
to Manhattan for a much-desired coming-of-age experience.
Basically, Nick wants to know how to meet girls and he believes
his uncle to be an expert.
Elizabeth Berkley and Jennifer Beals deliver some of the
film's best laughs as the women at the bar who join Roger
and Nick for a night of flirty conversation. Basically, these
attractive women want to know what a nice kid like Nick is
doing with a jerk like Roger. At first glance, Nick sees Roger
as the female expert he aspires to be. By the end of their
night of carousing, Roger's luster has begun to fade and crack.
Manhattan is a typical backdrop for a battle of the sexes, but Kidd and cinematographer Joaquin Baca-Asay create a blurry realism that paints the city in a shadowy manner. The film looks gritty, and it's hard to imagine it being any other way.
Rodger Dodger has something engaging to say about relationships
between men and women, and that's seldom the case with movies.
Kidd folds a hard-hitting morality tale between Scott's comical
rants. You find yourself listening intently because there's
no telling what outrageous thing Roger will say next.
Thanks to its rich performances and credible script, Roger
Dodger is the most substantial sex comedy since the
Neil LaBute films In the Company of Men and Your
Friends & Neighbors. No matter how you look at it, whether
as a coming-of-age tale or a battle of the sexes comedy, Roger
Dodger is one of the most unique movies of the year, and
Kidd has made an impressive debut feature.
This is a unique comedy, one that's unabashedly cynical. It's dark, but it's still lively enough to make you laugh repeatedly.
Eisenberg fumbles his dialogue credibly. He acts and talks like a teen-ager who's not ahead of his age, and that's important for the role.
Eisenberg makes a good impression, but Roger Dodger
essentially belongs to Scott. It's a breakout role, and Scott
-- who's made too few film appearances lately -- gives it
his all. He keeps Roger volatile and angry, and he's a more
interesting character because of it.
Roger's actions are driven by bravado and self-loathing.
On one level, he's an aging womanizer who can't accept that
his boss wants to end their personal relationship and replace
him with a younger man. Rodger is complex, but not so much
that you fail to understand the source of his aggressive behavior.
Scott is mesmerizing as the smarmy Roger, a man who can
talk circles around anybody. He makes the character unlikable
but undeniably compelling. You can't take your eyes off of
him.
Roger is the consummate anti-hero. Despite all his sarcasm
and mean-spirited banter, you still pull for him to turn his
life around.
Scott makes him a broken man you believe is capable of redemption.
That fact alone qualifies his Roger Dodger performance
as one of the best of the year. I also feel the same way about
the movie.
CityBeat grade: A.
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