The Good Guy

The Good Guy

Year: 2009

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Julio DePietro

Budget: $10M

ComedyRomance

Beth, an ambitious Manhattanite and urban conservationist, wants a great career, solid friends, and a romance. She falls for Tommy, a charismatic Wall Street hot‑shot, but his thoughtful colleague Daniel complicates things. As the love triangle unfolds, Beth learns dating in the city is like finance—high risk, high reward, and full of hidden angles.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Good Guy (2009)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Good Guy (2009). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Wall Street, Manhattan, New York City

The story unfolds in the high-rise corridors of Wall Street, a global financial hub renowned for fierce competition, private clubs, and networking after hours. The urban setting of Manhattan provides a fast-paced backdrop where ambition and personal lives collide. Glass towers and exclusive circles frame the power dynamics at the heart of the narrative.

🏙️ Financial district 🗽 New York City

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:58

Main Characters – The Good Guy (2009)

Meet the key characters of The Good Guy (2009), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Beth Vest (Alexis Bledel)

A young Manhattanite and urban conservationist seeking a fulfilling life—including a good job, good friends, and a good partner. She becomes entangled in a love triangle when Daniel enters Tommy's world, challenging her trust and expectations. Her choices reveal how personal integrity competes with a city that rewards appearances.

💬 Communication 💘 Romantic tension 🌆 City life

Tommy Fielding (Scott Porter)

A charismatic and successful investment broker who mentors Daniel and woos Beth, presenting himself as the ideal 'good guy' while concealing ruthless ambition. His charm masks manipulative tendencies, and his actions threaten the integrity of relationships around him. He epitomizes the glossy surface of Wall Street culture.

💼 Career-minded 💬 Charm 🎭 Ambition

Daniel Seaver (Bryan Greenberg)

Former avionics engineer turned finance newcomer, nervous yet curious about the high-stakes world. He grows under Tommy's mentorship, increasingly balancing his naivety with a developing sensitivity that complicates his attraction to Beth. His genuine nature challenges the superficial dynamics of the social circle.

💡 Naivety 🌱 Growth ❤️ Romance

Cash (Andrew McCarthy)

The ruthless boss who exerts control over the firm and its players. He embodies corporate power and tests loyalty, shaping the pressures that drive the romance and deception in the story. His presence anchors the moral tensions of the film.

💼 Authority 🗡️ Power 🎭 Manipulation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:58

Major Themes – The Good Guy (2009)

Explore the central themes of The Good Guy (2009), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👀 Perception vs Reality

The film probes how appearances can mask true intentions in a world driven by image and success. Bets are made on charm and social signals, while truth lies hidden beneath polished exteriors. The parallel to Ford Madox Ford's The Good Soldier underscores how people justify flawed relationships under pressure.

💼 Ambition & Integrity

Characters navigate the temptations of wealth and status in a culture that rewards ruthlessness. The mentorship dynamic reveals how power can distort judgment, blurring lines between guidance and manipulation. The story asks whether ambition can coexist with honesty and loyalty.

💔 Love Triangle & Trust

A three-way dynamic tests loyalty as Beth, Tommy, and Daniel confront competing desires. Daniel's genuine sensitivity clashes with Tommy's manipulative charm, forcing Beth to reevaluate what she seeks in a partner. The narrative uses the triangle to explore authenticity in relationships within a transactional cityscape.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:58

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Urban Romance Movies like The Good Guy

Finding love and authenticity in a high-pressure professional world.If you liked The Good Guy, explore more movies where romance blooms against a professional backdrop. These films combine relationship drama with workplace dynamics, often set in vibrant cities, and explore themes of ambition and authenticity.

urbanromanticprofessionalintrospectivesincerequirkyreflective

Narrative Summary

Stories typically follow a central character navigating a new relationship or love triangle while also dealing with the pressures and ethics of their career. The professional environment acts as a crucible, testing the characters' values and the sincerity of their connections, leading to a choice between superficial success and personal happiness.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared setting of a bustling city and a professional milieu that directly influences the romantic plot. They share a focus on character-driven decisions, a steady pacing that allows for reflection, and a tone that is ultimately hopeful about finding real love amidst modern complexities.

Character-Driven Love Triangle Movies like The Good Guy

Choosing between a charismatic facade and a genuinely compatible partner.Find movies similar to The Good Guy that feature a thoughtful love triangle. These films focus on the protagonist's journey of self-discovery, as they choose between a flashy but superficial partner and one who offers genuine connection and integrity.

romanticintrospectivesincerereflectivehopefulcharacter-drivenrelationship-focused

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist being initially drawn to a charming, seemingly perfect partner, while a quieter, more authentic alternative gradually reveals themselves. The plot forces the protagonist to look beyond surface appeal, leading to a crisis of values and a final choice that affirms personal growth and true compatibility, resulting in a happy or hopeful ending.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups movies based on the specific emotional journey of a love triangle that tests the protagonist's values. They share a straightforward complexity, a steady pacing that allows the relationship dynamics to develop naturally, and a core theme of finding authenticity in relationships.

Unlock the Full Story of The Good Guy

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Good Guy in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Good Guy is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Good Guy Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Good Guy, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Good Guy Summary

The Good Guy Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Good Guy with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Good Guy Timeline

The Good Guy Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Good Guy Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Good Guy

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