Review of Roger Dodger (2002)
First we meet Roger in New York and we see him act like a dominating, pessimistic, analytical funny guy and asshole. He is in love with his boss, who doesn’t want him. Then, Roger finds a nephew in his cubicle and takes him out for a night on the town, which is a pick-up tutorial for the innocent kid from the sticks (Ohio). That night takes them to interesting places, where Roger’s guru persona disintegrates.
A character study and fast-talking drama in an effective black comedy. The mutual coming of age is a darker About a Boy (2002) with more relevance to the gender debates of the following two decades. Shaky cameras (strategically calmed), but the realism and little touches work wonders.