I thought it would have been a 10 if they had put a better ending on the movie. I wanted to see what happened to Alex and Carter! The movie just kind of stopped, and all my friends and I were like, "What? They can't just end it like that!"

It's a pretty good film, but not nearly as good as I thought it might be. The acting is uniformly solid, but the writing is just not there.

I liked this movie, but agree with others that it came close to being significantly better. Solid performances, interesting characters and an amusing, though hit-and-miss script. I love movies that don't easily fall into a genre; this one tried to be more than it was, but got too heavy-handed with "the message" and the script ultimately took short cuts--the final sequence with DQ and TG could have been cribbed from any of a dozen movies in the last few years. All that criticism for a movie I gave 7 stars should tell you--it came close to being a great memorable film.… Expand

Very real. Great acting and camera work.

I'm clearly not the person to view this movie from anything resembling an objective or dispassionate stance, and I knew that going in. Regardless of how good Paul Weitz's last film, About A Boy, was, the subject matter here (and what I preceived was going to be their treatment of it) just cut too close to the bone. I've worked at a company that was "rescued" by one of those corporate cut-and-slash Mr. Fixits; not only were many dear friends and good people unnecessarily chloroformed, but the "results" turned out to be largely fraudulent, and the long-term effect on a person I loved and admired turned out to be irreversibly tragic. So I wasn't exactly in the mood to see what I thought was going to be a cutesy corporate romp with maybe a vague, noncontroversial "downsizing isn't nice" message tacked on at the end as a sop to the Michael Moore crowd, and I definitely wasn't in the mood to see the corporate hitman played by that sweet, goofy kid from That 70's Show. (Apparently, some of my audience agreed with me, because when Topher Grace's character suffers a couple of surprising mishaps in the first 20 minutes I heard applause.) But I vastly underestimated Weitz; even more so than in About A Boy, he's detailing the immature boy-man who's his central character's sometimes painful road to self-discovery, purpose...in short, adulthood. The business stuff is accurately and wittily handled--if hundreds of thrillers over the last 30 years could be superficially described as "Hitchcockian", and a few dozen feel-good comedies as "Capraesque", In Good Company at its best is smartly written and wise in the ways of the world but subversively humane enough to draw pleasant comparisons to Billy Wilder. Less successful is the romance between Grace and Scarlet Johannsen as the daughter of a former department head (Dennis Quaid) reduced to being Grace's "wingman"; it's contrived and "movielike", even if Johannsen is typically excellent. I also wish that the movie's general tone, especially at the end, had been more one of impassioned outrage rather than weary resignation; David Paymer, who's good as a sad-sack colleague of Quaid's, plays a potentially resonant role that ultimately gets short shrift. But there's no doubt which side of the fence Weitz is on when, in the climax, he casts a certain actor who's made his reputation playing sinister or evil roles as a corporate high muckety-muck (since he goes unbilled, I won't spoil his identity for you, but you'll know what I mean when you see him) and then lights him like a Universal Pictures movie monster from the 1930s. (His clueless misinterpretation of the real meaning of the current business buzzword "synergy" is delicious.) I made a New Year's resolution not to be so argumentatively political, and now I'm going to break it: I've had an absolute bellyful of certain red-state bluenoses who howl about morality when it comes to, say, a fraction of a second at a Super Bowl halftime show, but are admiring (or worse, completely silent) when it comes to the psychopathic social Darwinism of "Chainsaw" Al Dunlap, Jack Welch and their acolytes. The Michael Medveds and Cal Thomases may deliberately ignore the fact that Grace learns far more from devoted husband and father Quaid and his household than they do from him; certain conservatives may deny it, but In Good Company is a film about family values that genuinely walks the talk.… Expand

Am I the only one for whom Scarlett's Johanssen's character makes no sense? (And who did her makeup?) What motivates her sleeping with her father's boss? Does she hate Dad that much? And how does her putative innocence (she "never" has guys in her room) square with her coolly setting the scene--she could be a pro--as she draws said boss into bed. Later, of course, she coldly dumps the guy. In short, whatever is needed to get the plot lurching forward. She's a symptom of the film's overall bad faith.… Expand

Way overrated as it moved along at a snail's pace. Unbelievable with poor acting and more holes in the story than swiss cheese. Very dissappointing to say the least.

I thought it was suprisingly funny. I can se how it may seem formula, but it was better than most box office garbage.

Uncommonly thoughtful, smart, and entertaining comedy set in the all-too-recognizable world of corporate downsizing, the depersonalization of workers, and giant conglomerates that seem to exist only for the purpose of swallowing up other giant conglomerates. Dennis Quaid gives one of his warmest, and finest, performances as a fifty-something executive who is in charge of selling ad space for a Sports Illustrated-type magazine, until a corporate merger leaves him with a boss (Topher Grace from That 70's Show) half his age. Quaid is wonderful at portraying a man trying to maintain his dignity in the midst of professional humiliation, but the film wouldn't succeed half as well as it does if it were simply a screed against corporate America. Writer-director Paul Weitz (About a Boy) does an equally fine job at portraying Grace's character not as a jerk or lackey, but as a basically decent young man full of barely concealed self-doubt. What he really needs isn't a pat on the back from the CEO but the love and acceptance of a family - even if it is Quaid's (including wife Marg Helgenberger and daughters Scarlett Johansson and Zena Grey). If the romance between Grace and Johansson seems a little convenient to the plot, and the ending just a bit too tidy, I'm not complaining. This is a terrific comedy with a brain and a heart, as well as a lot of laughs.… Expand

Excellent romantic comedy, a rare one in which the sappy moments are easy to swallow.

A clever, charming film reminiscent of Billy Wilder. Grandpa can actually sit and watch with this movie with his teenage grandchildren and no one would be disappointed. Cute without being cloying. Satirical without being bitter. Good acting from Quaid, Johansson, and a surprisingly solid star-turn from Topher Grace. Plus, the send-up of Big Business politics is spot-on. Overall: entertaining.

This movie is brilliantly acted. I disagree completely with another reviewer who said that Dennis Quaid "mailed in" his role. Quaid did a wonderful job, as did the other actors. Admittedly, the premise for the movie is quite silly, and the movie is not in the same class as "About a Boy." None the less, the movie still warrants praise for being brilliantly acted and well delivered.

Highly enjoyable - well written and while very funny, did not go for "easy" laughs or simple wrapped up ending. My only issue was with Scarlette J's performance - it's like she came back from seeing Bill Murray in Japan and still has jet lag.

Topher and Dennis make this movie. Their performances are so effortless, convincing, and involving that it brings to mind great acting ensembles of yesteryear. Like everyone else says, the plot is old hat and the armchair-business-satire stuff is pretty much no different than the same stuff Dilbert has been doing for ten years, but still this is a highly entertaining movie. The Weitz brothers are highly underrated, and a closer look at their filmography will reveal not a single dud in the crop. The movie didn't completely enthrall me like say "About a Boy", with its beautiful and addictive Badly Drawn Boy soundtrack, but this is still a good way to start off the new year if your a filmgoer.… Expand

A solid recommendation. Nice comedy-drama w/ a few good storylines and character development. I was pleasantly surprised by the less-than-fairytale wrapups.

A realistic, if somewhat unsatisfying ending. A funny movie which also had relevence on a deeper level.

Some funny moments, but ultimately not a very interesting movie. Scarlet Johanson is wasted in a little roll with almost nothing to it. Quaid is the most satisfying thing about the movie, but even he has one of those hackneyed public speeches which typically end in a slow clap (which this film, thankfully, does not provide). Some of the most egregious product placement moments in the history of film. Not a bad way to spend 2 hours, but certainly not a movie that you must see in the theatre to enjoy. I imagine it will play just as well on TV or, better still, on a long flight.… Expand

In Good Company is a soft comedy. Soft comedies are not raunchy in any way, it was not screamingly, obnoxious funny, it was soft funny. It made people laugh and people clapped at the end but it was a soft comedy. I liked In Good Company a lot, for one reason becuase it was funny and it made me laugh and another reason is the relationship between Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace. That held the movie together with that first detesting relationship then liking then hating, it made the movie go. This movie was great and I would reccommend it to anyone.… Expand

What am I missing!?! I consider myself easliy entertained, but folks, this movie and its high rating baffle me. While this film might be okay to pass the time sitting on a transcontinental flight - it was a collasal waste of a Friday night at the theater. Acting: predictable, flat, sitcom contrived. Plot: Uninspired, contrived, soooooo unoriginal. I kept waiting for it to get as good as the abouve reviews...and it never did. Look...read the Metacritic reviews...go see it if you like...and see if you don't agree with me! Just leave halfway thru and get your money back. I wish I did.… Expand

Competent, beautifully acted, nicely written, but overall such a subtle film that I wondered: at what point do we resent paying $10.50 for such a tepid experience? It's impossible to find anything bad to say about this movie. Maybe that's not so good? This would be a nice rental to curl up with on a lonesome day.

Loads of charm, with great performances by all the leads. a very neat humanizing of the corporate world.

An excellent movie. Topher Grace and Dennis Quaid made it worth watching twice - they were perfect.

Greatest Movie.

Not great but entertaining and worthy of two hours of your time. Scartlett Johansson is always worth watching and getting better by the movie (although Lost in Translation is my favorite); her character is a little underdeveloped here. Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace are good and pretty watchable as well.

I take off 2 points for the following: The blatant product placements (at least 4 noticeable ones!), the unnecessary slapstick elements (characters continuously falling, dropping things, spilling things), poor attention to detaile or poor editing in spots (the younger daughter was poorly introduced and her character was unnecessary), and Scarlett Johannson's character being underwritten (particularly since Johannson received top billing after Quaid). I give it 8 points for the acting, particularly that of Quaid and Grace; for the sharp, poignant comic dialogue; for the excellent character development of Quaid's character and particularly of Grace's character; and for the unashamed criticism this film makes of the corporate mentality and corporate downsizing. Overall this was an enjoyable, intelligent little film that defies cookie-cutter categorization because it worked as a mixture of comedy, character study romance, drama, and social commentary.… Collapse

"In Good Company" is a likable middle-of-the-road, too-eager-to-please comedy-drama that needed Carter(Topher Grace) to be more ninja-assassin, and less of a sadsack naif. Sure, he fires people, but we have no real emotional investment in those that get canned. Firing someone higher on the film's food chain would've presented a stronger roadblock for the film's pivotal romance to exist. But this is the movie we're presented with and as mainstream entertainment goes, "In Good Company" is reasonably intelligent with a hint of what this film could've been with the performances by David Paymer and Selma Blair, in small, but succinct roles. I like Blair's bedside epiphany when Carter says "stepping stone".… Expand

Absolute inane, tripey, plot-hole-filled male-fantasy garbage; a universe where women love to stay home and make love to their man to Diana Krall, starting in their early teens; where getting a job or a loan to pay for college is unthinkable. Whether it is the idea that while having two daughers is okay, but having a son is the END ALL BE ALL, that 50 year old women are PRETERNATURALLY EXCITED to become pregnant because it's so awesome on your body, that it's totally normal for an employee to be a complete asshole to his boss, or for a 26 year old still-married male boss to be boning an 18-year old, much less the 18-year-old daughter of your employee, that women who don't want kids are obviously horrible, cheating bitches (Selma Blair however, managed to convey the thrown-in quality of this line in the most amazing line delivery I've seen in a decade), that women don't work, that 18-year-olds could maybe get loans or work to pay for their own college or both parents could work, rather than having to get a third mortgage on their home, or the fact that the screenwriter doesn't know the difference between getting fired and getting laid off because there's been a takeover or a merger...yes, there is a difference.… Expand

I thought it was hilarious! I loved the film. I liked Topher and Dennis on screen. They had chemistry and intrigued me to believe this story. I also thought that it was dramatic and real. The realism is how kids sometimes don't think. The entire situation between Grace and Johanson's characters could have been avoided had they just talked to Dan. However, that in my opinion was real sometimes young people are secretive and they don't think about things before they do things. Also, I liked the fact that the wife became pregnant later in the game when she already has one child in college and a preteen. That is very believeable and happened to a couple of my friend's parents when I was growing up. The funny think is when the older sibbling is carrying the infant around people assume they are the parent. However, that seems like an entirely different film. Great movie. I love the part where Teddy K didn't know how to answer Dan and he decided to leave it up to everyone else. That was typical of how a lot of companies are ran. Many don't have talent and they sponge off the ones who actually have talent, passion, and knowledge of how to do their jobs. I enjoyed it. I am a huge fan of Paul Weitz.… Expand

I really enjoyed this movie. I wish that Marg Helgenberger had a bigger role

Excellent film. A great story about the phases we go through as we adapt to change compacted within a short period of time. Wonderful dialogue, great acting. Finally a really good Dennis Quaid film.

This is hardly a romance movie, as the romance is a really just a side event to the overall younger-boss theme. The actors are acceptable, although you really don't see much of Scarlet J. Dennis Quaid is capable, although his facial expressions and manerisms are turning him into Harrison Ford. The theme was good, the execution was acceptable, but the last half hour really dragged the movie out and really never resolved much. It wasn't what I'd call a Hollywood ending but it did eventually become predictable and that last half hour really took away from my complete enjoyment of the movie.… Expand

Awesome!

This film is terrible. Normally a chick flick like this has a possible happy ending, this ending though just makes no sense. The only reason it gets a vote is because Scarlet Johansson is so fit, though does sound like a man.

Very entertaining, but a bit too Hollywood-ish. Topher Grace does an outstanding job.

Soft, feel good garbage. This movie has zero identity, is lazy and boring. None of the relationships feel real and the ones that even slightly resonate are stock and predictable. Topher Grace excells at being Topher Grace, which gets annoying and Quaid looks like he's phoning it in.

Good movie for its type. As a guy, I couldn't really ask for a better date movie. Quaid and Grace give outstanding performances and the ending was honest, not sappy.

Loved the actors, soundtrack, and most of the acting, but for a plot to have so many holes in it, and not fill them in leaves me thinking any other movie in the theatre would have been better. When this movie had the chance to make an impact, it decided not to, never climaxing and never delving into new ground.

Worth the money-insightful, entertaining.

Very entertaining - definitely worth the price of a ticket.

Funny, heartwarming, and most importantly intelligent film. Great entertainment value and Johansson graces the screen with her amazing presence. Hats off to Topher Grace and Quaid as well for their warm and humorous portrayals of what could have been mere caricatures.

Perfect casting and a pleasingly unpredictable plot give shape to this smarter than normal romantic company. Topher Grace gives his best performance to date, squeezing out audience amusement and empathy with his endearing awkwardness. The film