Directed by: John Wells, (3.5/5).
The Company Men focuses on three men who lose their jobs at the beginning of the recession due to corporate downsizing. Each man considered himself irreplaceable, and after giving their life to their work they find themselves stranded, struggling to find meaning in their new lives.
An interesting insight into an often overlooked subsection of workers who lost their jobs – members of the upper middle class with beautiful homes, perfect families, a new car or two in the driveway and holidays overseas – The Company Men shows that it wasn’t just the working class men that fell on hard times. In fact, given the luxury that all three protagonists live in, it seems that their falls from grace are just that much harder, as each has to come to grips with the reality of being unemployed in an increasingly competitive marketplace where MBAs are a dime a dozen and combat service in Vietnam is more of a hindrance than a help.
I found the protagonists an interesting bunch, particularly as corporate America is so often vilified in mainstream press. This film presents a more human side to the men in suits. Two are just trying to support their families and the third must decide what life he is to lead now that his raison d’être has gone.
Dealing with such bleak subject matter it’s always difficult to make a film that balances itself between a cheesy Hollywood ending and something that is too dour to be enjoyed. The Company Men manages to achieve this, but I was left feeling sad for one character, happy for the other and unaffected by the third. It may have helped to strip the story of a protagonist or two, for the audience will leave with a mixed bag of emotions that doesn’t imprint well on the memory.
Director John Wells is best known for his television shows, E.R. and The West Wing in particular. The Company Men at its core is like a well-produced drama series, but lacks sufficient depth to really help the audience bond well with any of the characters. Add to the DVD list.
The Company Men
