THE GOOD GUY

US, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
Scott Porter, Alexis Bledel Bryan Greenburg, Andrew Mc Carthy.
Directed by Julio De Prieto.

The Good Guy is something of a minor film, a variation on romantic comedy as well as a variation on the young up-and-coming businessmen on Wall Street.

The film opens with a focus on one character whom we assume is the good guy, then flashing back to see him at work in the office, his ability to make money, with his pals going to bars, preoccupied with sex, attempting to pick up girls. However, there is another character working in the office who is a retiring plain-spoken type who is in line for a promotion.

Scott Porter, who appears mainly on television, plays the initial seeming good guy while Bryan Greenburg plays the retiring type. The Gilmore Girls, Alexis Bledel, is in the middle of the triangle.

While the shy man is spruced up, hairstyle change, new clothes, encouraged to be out and about, relating well to girls, it emerges that he is the good guy, especially in his relationship with the girl at the centre.

Andrew Mc Carthy appears as the money-making boss.

1. A variation on American romantic comedies? A Wall Street finance story?

2. The title, the initial focus on Tommy? The transition to Daniel?

3. New York City, Wall Street, apartments, bars and restaurants, socials? Business offices? The musical score?

4. The opening, Tommy, the title, the taxi, at the door, rejection by Beth? Daniel’s presence suggested? Assuming who was the good guy?

5. The flashbacks, Tommy, the focus, his age, experience, fellow workers and their talk, discussions about sex, availability of women, chatting them up? The boss, his wanting to make money? At work, the scene of Tommy on the phones, everybody listening, the multi-million-dollar deals? His supervising the fellow workers? In action, congratulations?

6. Tommy and his assistant, leaving the company for a better paid job? The reaction of the boss? The interest in Daniel? The boss and his hesitations?

7. Daniel, a good guy, age, military service, engineer, his moving into finance, at his job, Tommy liking him, the promotion?

8. Daniel going out with the boys, the talk, his inabilities? Shyness with girls? The reaction of the others and Tommy saving the day? Tommy taking Daniel out, changing his hair,
buying the clothes, giving him style? The dinner with the other businessmen and his poor conversation, the poor joke? Potential customers being dissatisfied?

9. Daniel in the shop, seeing Beth, his reaction?

10. The social, meeting Beth, the attraction?

11. Tommy, his relationship with Beth, her personality, her discussions with her girlfriends? The revelation of Tommy’s past girlfriends, the contrasts? The revelation about his liaison with others, fickle, sexual relationships, picking up women? Beth and her talking to the girlfriend? Disillusionment?

12. Tommy, picking up the woman, demanding money, his not having enough, the taxi, asking Beth for money?

13. Daniel, at work, getting the job done, showing his skills with the phones and the deals?

14. Beth bullying him, his going to see her – and the background of what was happening upstairs with Tommy arriving at the door?

15. A morality tale for the 30 somethings?