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 October 25, 2002 
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Campbell Scott
Roger that!
Dylan Kidd's indie film guarantees satisfaction

Arthur J Pais

Campbell Scott's career crowning and Oscar-worthy performance is among many inviting things in the independent movie Roger Dodger, one of the most intriguing and satisfying films shown on an American screen in recent months.

Scott, who despite playing the lead with such big budget movies Dying Young (opposite Julia Roberts), found his career (luckily, some may say) drifting into small budget independent films, is responsible for the success of this film in more than one way. He, in fact, executive produced Roger Dodger, having loved the script which was handed out to him at a New York restaurant by desperate writer Dylan Kidd who could not get any backing for it.

Scott plays Roger Swanson whose arrogant and supremely confident attitude towards women cannot hide his failures as a lover. Scott's greatest achievement is that while, with the help of his rich voice he brings out the arrogance and stupidity in his character, he also lets us feel progressively that we are indeed looking at a tragic figure.

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Writer-director Kidd, who has crafted a sharp, witty and wise film, has also extracted a career-making performance from a relative newcomer, Jesse Eisenberg, as the teenage nephew of Roger. A raft of well-known artiste like Isabella Rossellini, Jennifer Beals and Elizbath Berkley who stand up to male chauvinism, have small but well-etched performances. Though the film is rather talky, with Roger often launching into speeches, it is never dull and seldom seems to drag.

The film, which has opened in New York and Los Angeles, will be rolling out to other American cities in the next few weeks. Winner of the top award at the first Tribeca Film Festival, it will surely make on to many top 10 films of the year.

The movie opens with a pontificating scene in a New York bar. We see his lover Joyce (Isabella Rossellini) listening to him with an amused look. But soon we learn that she has decided to end her relationship with Roger. He, of course, cannot take a 'no' from her and becomes more abusive and bitter. You feel he might even become a full-time stalker. You see him becoming more arrogant and insulting.

In a restaurant he insults a woman warning her that her future husband will dump her after he wakes up one morning and sees for real how old and ugly she is.

Most of the film revolves around Roger trying to initiate his 16-year-old nephew Nick who has turned up in New York to check out Columbia University. The curious kid makes the mistake of asking his 40-plus uncle a few lessons about sex. Roger assures Nick that if he follows his guidelines, he will have sex by the end of the evening. A still from Roger Dodger

Kidd's screenplay provides plenty of room for Nick's character to grow. And as Roger takes him one place to another including a sex club, we see Nick, despite all the confusion and excitement racing through his mind, exuding sweetness and kindness that the older man isn't capable of. Eisenberg, who will be seen shortly in a bigger film called Emperor's Club, does a masterful job in conveying his curiosity, anxiety and fear abut sexual trysts.

Roger Dodger could have been better in some technical departments. The camerawork in some scenes seems too jerky. But its many pleasures amply make up for its insignificant drawbacks.

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