In Hollywood, ad execs are losers It must be written in a screenwriter’s manual somewhere that the quickest way to make it clear your character is a loser is to make him an ad exec. This is the only reasonable conclusion one can come to—particularly after reading the (generally tepid) reviews for Derailed, starring Clive Owen as Charles-the-loser-ad-exec and Jennifer Aniston as the other woman. Says The New York Times, “An adman, Charles is one of those rumpled types sagging under the weight of work woes and an unhappy family life, complete with a snappish wife (meaning no sex) and a sick kid (money worries). Even the family dog barks at him.” It’s as if to say that as an adman, of course this is the life he’d lead. To that extent, it seems this movie is more piling on from Hollywood, dating back decades, but also somewhat more recently in movies such as Defending Your Life (Albert Brooks as a dead ad guy having trouble getting into heaven) and What Women Want (Mel Gibson as a chauvinistic ad exec who finally gets enlightened after he’s electrocuted by a hair dryer … or something). As if people in advertising didn’t have enough self-esteem issues, they find themselves starring in the long-running Revenge of the Screenwriters. —Posted by Catharine P. Taylor

November 11, 2005 | Permalink

Comments

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The adman does seem to be the dupe in many movies and films - however, Derailed becomes less an exercise in abuse and more one in self-loathing when you take into account that it's based on a novel by Jimmy Siegel, an exec creative director at BBDO.

Posted by: | Nov 11, 2005 3:06:24 PM

What happened to the days of Cary Grant and North by Northwest?

Posted by: Novak | Nov 11, 2005 3:24:04 PM

also, asshole ad guys Campbell Scott in Roger Dodger and Tom Hanks in Nothing In Common.

Posted by: copyranter | Nov 11, 2005 5:14:53 PM

Don't forget Keanu Reeves (heartless jackass) in "Sweet November" and Ben Affleck (also heartless jackass) in "Bounce".

Oh god, thinking of those flicks made me puke in my mouth.

Posted by: spinachdip | Nov 11, 2005 6:01:10 PM

Self esteem issues? Hilarious!

Posted by: Rick in Duxbury | Nov 12, 2005 5:14:37 PM

Perhaps if the agency world hadn't mortgaged its future in the late 80's by allowing clients to significantly cut their margins and ability to hire/retain any kind of intellectual talent. Further, the current pool of advertising execs are so myopic in their understanding of the needs of the modern day CMo, its no wonder Hollywood has picked up on this and portrays them as they are (generically speaking) a dim-witted band of dead weight than needs to be moved out. NET VIEW: You reap what you sow.

Posted by: TruthTeller | Nov 15, 2005 3:20:33 PM

I suppose female ad execs should be grateful they've gotten off lightly. Apart from Helen Hunt in 'What Women Want' and Isabella Rossellini in 'Roger Dodger', loser ad gal is merely notable by her absence....

Posted by: Cindy Gallop | Nov 15, 2005 3:56:13 PM

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