Roger Dodger Movie Review:


Roger Dodger is a witty dialogue driven independent film that is hampered by its shaky camera work, but it is still a winner. The audience is first introduced to Roger, an advertising businessman that lives in New York City. He is an egotistical, optimistic ladies man that speaks his mind and has an answer for everything. One day at work Roger's 16-year-old nephew Nick (Eisenberg) surprises him with an informal visit. Nick has come from Ohio to ask his uncle for some advice about the opposite sex. Nick tells Roger that, "Mom says you are a ladies man." Though Roger and Nick's mother hardly talk, Roger takes Nick under his wing to explain to him everything a young man must know about women. He starts by taking Nick bar hopping and setting him up in socializing situations with the ladies, that he hopes will give his nephew confidence and experience. As Nick's education continues, he and Roger both are met with obstacles and questions about their inner-self. The two begin to find themselves and get to know one another and find their place on a crazy night that they will never forget.

First time writer-director Dylan Kidd's screenplay for the film is excellent and humorously original. The character of Roger is just a hideous prick, Nick is the innocent bystandard and both are mirrors of people that everyone has met before. The strength of the script is its clever dialogue, which drives the story's constant humor and light drama. The writing is eccentric and patient with the character's actions and discoveries. The climax of the film isn't typical, but realistic. The problem I had mostly with this film is Kidd's camerawork. Throughout all of the scenes in New York City, the film is shot with handheld cameras. The point of view moments work well with the hand-held choice, but not with all of the film's scenes. Some of the scenes are so shaky that I was constantly wanting for the movement to please stop, or for Kidd to at least use a tripod. I question Kidd's reasoning behind shooting the film handheld. I really have no answer, I guess it is just some filmmakers' style. Kidd does get the most out of his cast of actors and he captures the story well in the New York setting. Roger Dodger was the first production given permission to film in New York City after the attacks on September 11, 2001.

Campbell Scott has always been a fine actor that has taken on good characters and for the most part stayed out of the Hollywood spotlight. As Roger he has a good time and manipulatively turns in the best performance of his career. Roger is one of the best characters to surface the screen this year and Scott gives a consistently sound performance. Scott's counterpoint Jesse Eisenberg, who plays Nick, is terrific as well and has rising star written all over him. I also enjoyed the work of the supporting cast of the film, which included Isabella Rossellini, Jennifer Beals, and Elizabeth Berkely in each of their respected roles.

Roger Dodger is an entertaining independent film that deals with the drastic changing and growing up of its characters in a one-night journey. Besides the shaky handheld camerawork, the film is a pleasure. The screenplay is a dialogue driven treat and Campbell Scott is prominent.

Report Card Grade: B

11/17/02
Copyright, 2002

Joseph C. Tucker

Self-proclaimed ladies man Roger Swanson (Scott) thinks that he can charm any woman into bed. When his teenage nephew Nick (Eisenberg) comes to New York to learn the art of seduction from his worldly Uncle, Roger takes him under his wing and the two hit Manhattan in pursuit of the fairer sex.

Once in a while a movie comes out of nowhere and ends up becoming a cult classic. Roger Dodger is one of those movies.

Like Swingers, Clerks and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off before it, this movie is destined to become a must for anyone’s collection. With instantly quotable lines, hilariously funny set pieces and an underlying message that is touching and poignant, Roger Dodger is a movie that will stick in the mind for a long time.

The performances are superb. The very underestimated Campbell Scott delivers a performance that will elate fans of this earlier work in Singles, Dying Young and The Spanish Prisoner, as he lives up to the potential he once showed. His Roger character commands your attention with his bullish, cocky attitude but underneath he is passionately flawed and desperate for love. This is what makes the character so intriguing, as his slightly schizophrenic personality switches from this overly confident rogue when he is with protégé Nick to an emotional train wreak when he is in the presence of his ex-lover and boss. Scott conveys this emotional roller coaster ride with exceptional skill in what could be a career-defining role and a tour-de-force.

There is also fantastic support from Jesse Eisenberg as Nick. He plays the naïve nephew marvellously, whose journey of sexual discovery and ultimately conquest is both funny and touching. He has a real look of innocence and dependence, relying totally on his mentor uncle for advice, never realising that his own teacher is in fact more flawed and vulnerable than he could ever be.

Jennifer Beals and Elizabeth Berkley are also good as the first women to be pursued by the rampaging Romeo’s. Their reaction to Nick’s innocence and Roger’s overbearing, insistent come-ons is exactly how you’d expect women to react to the mismatched pair. Isabella Rossellini is also good as Joyce, Roger’s boss and suspect of his obsession. She is exactly what Roger thinks he has become, but where she can move onto the next conquest, Roger becomes the infatuated, clingy ex-lover you normally expect the woman to be.

These fantastic performances would be nothing without a great script and first time writer/director Dylan Kidd provides just that. Filled with extremely quotable dialogue, laugh-out-loud comedic set pieces but riddled with emotion, Dylan does an immense job of capturing the confidence and vulnerability of both Nick and Roger. His direction complements this by allowing the excellent dialogue to flow and the hand-held camera approach gives you the impression of been in the conversional circle that the characters inhabit.

While the movie does lose a certain amount of its edge in the final third, this is more than made up for in Roger’s realisation and redemption in the finale. Roger Dodger is destined for cult recognition and is a must for anyone who loves well written, character driven comedy drama. Now just don’t forget to take your opportunities where you can get them and that sex is everywhere.

Star Rating = * * * *

Jamie Kelwick

Site Contents Copyright© The Z Review, unless used with permission.This site has no intention to infringe on the rights of the film owners of Roger Dodger and intellectual copyright holders of the movies mentioned herein & hold copyright over the movie, characters, merchandise & storyline.