Bill is a bank executive who, on the face, appears to have it all. He has a beautiful wife, nice salary and house that proves it. He drives a nice Jeep and is looking to open a franchise doughnut shop.
However, things are not always as they seem. In 2008's "Meet Bill" this has never been more true.
Aaron Eckhart stars as Bill, a quote, unquote human resources vice president at his father-in-laws bank. The position conveniently became available after Bill married his wife and daughter of the bank’s president Jess.
Early on in the film we learn Bill feels trapped by the current situation; he and Jess must always rely on her father for monetary assistance and life guidance. Bill deals with this overriding presence by eating an excessive amount of candy bars. He eventually develops a gut.
It turns out his seemingly faithful wife actually has become smitten for the small-town celebrity of a local newsman and begins an affair. Bill must now attempt to win back his wife’s trust by inducing jealousy with the help of a wise-cracking prep-school kid whom Bill is mentoring.
Meet Bill is hilarious. Albeit Bill’s gay brother or the fact that his prep-school protégé throws hundred dollar bills around like it’s nothing, you’ll find yourself laughing at the sheer embarrassment this “bank VP” must endure.
Eckhart’s performance rivals that of “Thank You For Smoking” and his recent “Dark Knight” role as the Gotham city attorney. All three roles are different, and they show the range of which Eckhart is capable of acting. Early in the film, Bill is a non-aggressive lad who, on a day-to-day basis, musters just enough gusto to get by. By the end of the film, he’s in charge of his own destiny.
Other perks of this film are Jessica Alba’s character Lucy, a lingerie clerk at a local mall who can’t help but find the situation worthy of a helping hand.
Meet Bill is available on DVD as of July 15 and is a solid rent for anyone searching for those diamond in the rough films that maybe didn’t have much glory at a box office. It’s already been nominated for a Golden Trailer Award for Best Comedy of 2008.
