Roger Dodger (2002)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Dylan Kidd

Writer:

Dylan Kidd (written by)

Release Date:

6 March 2003 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Sex is everywhere.

Plot:

After breaking up with his lover and boss, a smooth-talking man takes his teenaged nephew out on the town in search of sex.

Plot Keywords:

Flirting | Condom | Break Up | Hangover | Female Boss

Awards:

12 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Campbell Scott	...	Roger Swanson
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Nick
Isabella Rossellini	...	Joyce
Elizabeth Berkley	...	Andrea
Jennifer Beals	...	Sophie
Mina Badie	...	Donna
Ben Shenkman	...	Donovan
Chris Stack	...	Chris
Morena Baccarin	...	Girl in Bar
Lisa Emery	...	Woman in Bar
Flora Diaz	...	Young Working Girl
Stephanie Gatschet	...	Angela - High School Beauty
Colin Fickes	...	Angus
Tommy Savas	...	Darren
Gabriel Millman	...	Felix

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:12 | Canada:14A | Denmark:7 | New Zealand:M | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Argentina:16 | Chile:14 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Holedigger Films

Trivia:

Jesse Eisenberg was sick during the filming of most of the nightclub scene, and can be seen sweating in different parts of the scene from his illness.

Quotes:

Donovan: What am I looking at here? This is, like... '90s adorable normal guy.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Flesh Out

Terrific (Just Wait)

I found the film mildly annoying at the very beginning. The character of Roger is a real pseudo-intellectual, misogynistic dirtbag -- and for a while it seems that the film is sympathetic to him.

Stick with it. It gets better. I don't know the last time I had such a negative immediate reaction to a film turn around into an extremely positive reaction. We see Roger's ways turn on him. We see him fail in a very realistic way. We see a man whose whole world is dependent on him being in control of everything -- we see it all go wrong beneath him to the point where it seems like the film is poised to become "American Psycho"... and then his nephew comes into the picture. Suddenly, he's in a position of power again. And we're afraid for this poor kid.

This film actually made me fall for Elizabeth Berkeley. And the presence of my childhood crush (the ageless Jennifer Beals) was pitch perfect. The segment with them is simply magical. I would have fallen in love with this film as an adolescent.

The journey this film takes you on is just wonderful. I ordered the DVD for a friend before the film was even over. It's the kind of film you want to share with people who'll get it. Can't say enough about it.