Roger is an advertising executive who explains that his technique is to make consumers feel miserable, so they can restore their happiness by buying the sponsor's product. In his private life, Roger is the product, trying to make women feel miserable about themselves and then offering himself as the cure. Roger is an optimist who keeps on talking, just as if his approach works. As "Roger Dodger" opens, Roger (Campbell Scott) has just been dumped by his lover, Joyce (Isabella Rossellini), who is also his boss, and makes him feel miserable with admirable economy of speech: "I ...