The Company Men

Though very different in style and tone The Company Men is a companion piece to Up In The Air in the fact it concerns people losing their jobs and the hardships this causes. There is one major difference though. Where as Jason Reitman's film centred on the middle and lower work force being made redundant this film is all about the high rollers being bought down a step. The story line follows three employees (Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper) all earning a decent wage of various different levels at a company which begins a dreaded downsizing programme. The acting is fine and the sets (bland cookie cutter offices) are meant to give the impression that this could be happening anywhere. Despite the subject matter, and a poster blatantly ripped off from Glengarry Glen Ross, writer / director John Wells takes a low-key approach to the situations the characters find themselves in. Wells has a heavy US TV background and this is portrayed in his direction which is TV Movie Of The Week quality at best. The main problem with the film though is what is Wells trying to tell us? If it’s that high earners also feel the pinch when losing their jobs he doesn’t do a great job of eliciting sympathy from the audience. Earnings and spending are of course relative, but just what has Affleck spent all his money on to suddenly be virtually broke in a few weeks? What happened to his savings? It’s never fully explained. The film is also a study of the “Old School” family, in which the man works whilst the woman stays at home. However, though this gives Wells some leeway in the script to assess the characters self-worth as “men”, it also feels, in today’s world of many high-powered businesswomen, from a different time. Though there are many unanswered questions, Wells’ film is still a talking point for everyone. There, but for the grace of God, indeed.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict

Not bad, but perfunctory at best. Rating: 6/10.