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The Good Guy

Written by Nobuhiro Hosoki

 

Director Julio Depietro, who used to work at an investment firm in Chicago, channeled himself into the film world to produce the Sundance winning films "Manda Bala" and "Disgrace," which also won the International Critics Prize at the Toronto Film Festival. In his first crack at direction, he proceeds wisely, crafting films out of what he knows.

"The Good Guy" kicks off in flashback as a soaking wet Tommy (Scott Poter) begs for help in the doorway of a doubtful girlfriend, Beth (Alexis Bledel). But she's engaged with an unidentified other, turning Tommy into a desperate and pathetic last attempt in a sliding relationship.

Jump back a month earlier, at the beginning of a serious relationship between Tommy and Beth. She works in a conservation agency, now she's on the verge of an interesting job offer waiting for her in San Francisco. Tommy is a smooth-talking Wall Street investment banker, just as active on the trading floor as with the fair sex that New York night life offers him.

Tommy is the epitome of a success story, worshipping green money and his boss, Cash (Andrew McCarthy) who has a wisecrack attitude and is a master of the game of trade. When Cash learns that one of his valuable workers is jumping to another bank, he urges Tommy to find a replacement. To everybody's surprise, Tommy's choice is the soft-spoken computer whiz kid and bookworm, Daniel (Bryan Greenberg).

A clean-cut Daniel slowly manages himself into the man who can play the part of a trade deal. Meanwhile, he coincidentally meets Beth in a bookstore, not knowing that she's attached to Tommy. Daniel begins a relationship with her, while Tommy womanizes every attractive chick he makes eye contact with.

The film tackles the speed of money grabbing culture with promotion and greed for sex. Director Julio Depietro has applied those elements into a cynicism of male perspective. "The Good Guy" has occasionally sharp dialogue, and fun and pleasant humor. Bryan Greenberg pulls off what is initially a geek character into one who is a dependable hunk. His film is a good romance flick. Love isn't always high risk, high return...

Director-screenwriter: Julio DePietro
Producers: Linda Moran, Rene Bastian, Julio DePietro
Director of photography: Seamus Tierney
Production designer: Tommaso Ortino
Music: Tomandandy
Costume designer: Erika Munro
Editor: Ray Hubley
Cast: Scott Porter,
Alexis Bledel,
Bryan Greenberg,
Andrew McCarthy,
Aaron Yoo,
Anna Chlumsky

Running Time, 90 minutes