We rented In Good Company, a 2004 comedy-drama starring Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid, and Scarlett Johansson, There wereother supporting cast members, with honorable mentions to Marg Helgenberger and Clark Gregg. I’ve been interested in watching this film since it came out, but like many others, never got around to it. The trailer looked pretty to me, and six years later I watched the actual film. Don’t look at me like that. Six years isn’t that unreasonable.

Dennis Quaid plays a middle-aged ad exec who gets demoted when the magazine publisher he works for is taken over, and his new boss (Topher Grace) is nearly half his age. Grace’s character is an up-and-coming 26-year old executive who thinks he’s got it all, but he doesn’t quite understand what is and isn’t important in life. His own life experiences chaos when his wife (Selma Blair) asks for a divorce, and he begins seeing Quaid’s daughter (Johansson.) Considering that Quaid’s character despises the new manager, and non-hilarity ensues.

Here’s my review: the film was interesting to watch, but I wasn’t as moved as I thought I’d be. I was expecting a strong story, a moving-your-soul theme, and a conclusion that made me think. Maybe it was the trailer, or the six years of “getting around to it”, but I probably attached more to the film than I should have. I’d say it was a decent movie, told a story, wasn’t outlandish, and had a realistic conclusion.

In Good Company (2004)

Late Sunday afternoon, we drove down to my sister’s place to have the kids trick or treat. In our own neighborhood, we don’t see too many kids. Meanwhile, in south Jersey, it’s like the 50′s in America. Everyone sits outside with tables and chairs, hand out candy, drink beer. The sidewalks are full of kids trick or treating. It’s all very odd to me. It’s nice, but still odd. Ah well, as my mother would say, “When in Rome, trick or treat with everyone else.”

The kids looked great. This year, Josh was dressed as Luke Skywalker (with a purple lightsaber), and Lily was Wonder Woman (one of her favorites.) Namita and I hadn’t dressed up for Halloween in many years, but this year ew borrowed someone’s Double Dare costumes. After we got to the house, all was well until Lily saw Kitty’s scary Mummy costume, started screaming, and jumped into our arms. She wouldn’t relax until Kitty took off the makeup later in the evening. In the meantime, we kept them apart in different trick or treating groups.

Robbie and I took the kids out for trick or treating, while Julie and Namita stayed back at the house to watch the baby and hand out candy. It was a cold night! More folks came over, and ended up staying for dinner there. By the time we got home, it was almost midnight, and on a Sunday night! It was rough getting up the next day for work/school for everyone.

Josh as Luke Skywalker	Nums & Wonder Woman
Emily, Lily, Joshua	Family photo, Halloween 2010