Netflix This: ‘Roger Dodger’

We haven’t done a Netflix This in a little while, so I wanted to re-hash the popular segment with a fantastic dark comedy titled Roger Dodger. The film features a very young Jesse Eisenberg who heads to New York City to visit his somewhat estranged, smooth-talking, ad exec uncle, Roger; played brilliantly by the criminally under-utilized and under-appreciated Campbell Scott. It’s a truly fascinating film that attempts to completely dissect the relationship between men and women, specifically as it pertains to the philosophy, perception and pursuit of sex.

Nick (Eisenberg) is a 16 year-old who desperately wants to lose his virginity, and seeks out the elite expertise of his uncle Roger to do so; a friendly wager is made to make things interesting. The rest of the film features the new odd couple hitting various clubs, parties and bars during one, crazy NYC night, trying to find that one girl who Nick can become a man with. Along they way there are hits, misses, awkward run-ins, but always a ‘stimulating’ conversation about sex – which drums up underlying vulnerabilities in our seemingly emotionally invincible protagonist/anti-hero, Roger.

As stated before, what makes this film so damn awesome, is the utterly brilliant script written by Dylan Kidd (who also directed), but more notably is the performance by Scott. He absolutely radiates commanding confidence and spits Kidd’s dialogue with razor-sharp precision, to the point where you cannot imagine any other actor inhabiting this character. It’s an odd relationship the viewer has with Roger. He’s a complete douchebag. He’s massogynistic. He’s completely selfish. BUT, with his amazingly intelligent mind and ability to read people, especially women, you just can’t help but be mesmerized by his philosophy and perception on life and the opposite sex – to the point where you want to have a beer with him just to listen to him talk.

Check out the opening scene of the film, where Roger explains his ideology on the purpose of men and women in life and throughout time, which sets up the ongoing themes of sex and relationships for the rest of the film.

Netflix This: Roger Dodger

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