Roger Dodger
At lunch with several marketing professionals Roger (Campbell Scott) expounds on the primal difference between men and women. His argument is that men have a place and that is to hunt and have women, and women are naturally designed to stay at home. Later that evening as he lets himself into the apartment of Joyce (Isabella Rossellini), his boss at work and partner in an undercover office romance, Joyce states that she wants to end their relationship. The next day Roger is further bruised by the fact that Joyce has invited the office to her apartment for a party and the company invitation excluded Roger. Roger realizes that his time as office pet has come to an end, and as he trucks back to his cubicle he finds his nephew Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) in a standing meditative state. A senior in high school Nick says he has come to New York to interview at Columbia and would like to spend time with Roger getting a quick course on how to get a girlfriend. Roger takes him out on the town to give him lessons on how to start the relationship with women and eventually start dating. Roger sneaks Nick into a bar and puts him through some paces, first attracting the attention of Andrea (Elizabeth Berkley), an attractive woman. Soon Andrea summons her friend Sophie (Jennifer Beals) to make up a foursome, and they are immediately attracted to Nick because of his openness and unassuming manner and the fact that he has none of the jaded attitude that Roger has. From Rogers point of view Nick doesnt have the temperament for true urban womanizing. As the night wears on Roger castigates Nick for his inability to close the deal and make love to a woman and successfully give up his virginity, and decides to crash Joyces party. Roger gives Nick some instruction and even manages to set up an opportunity with an office associate Donna (Mina Badie) but Nicks conscience prevents him from reverting to Rogers tactics to make love to the inebriated young woman. But the appearance at the party leads to a scene in which Roger makes it very public what has happened to his relationship with Joyce, and manages to get himself fired in the process. As they move back into the night Roger tells Nick that there is always a fail-safe method to getting a woman, and that is to visit a brothel. At the underground location Roger cannot let Nick lose his virginity in such an emotionally barren atmosphere, and drags him back to his apartment to sleep things off. Roger has failed to introduce to the mysteries of the world, but has perhaps, gained a glimmer of a conscience. Nick travels back to his mother but Roger shows up unexpectedly to tutor Nick and his classmates on their home turf, bonding with the younger man in a more potent way, in an atmosphere populated by pre-adolescent peers.
psychedelic, philosophical