Review of In the Company of Men (1995) by Ellesse H — 13 Feb 2010

I feel as though Holywood has not completely exhausted the whole 'harsh businessman's world' motif in cinema, but so far it has had some pretty good examples of the genre. In the Company Of Men is a fine example of this, perhaps a precursor to things like Boiler Room and Rodger Dodger, but also to American Psycho to a certain extent.

Thankfully shows like Mad Men pick up the slack, but nevertheless In the Company of Men serves as an early precursor to a genre that still has a lot left in it to be explored. Aaron Eckhart is of course excellent in a role that he since has honed to perfection leading up to its peak in Thank You for Smoking, providing a more raw version of the Nick Taylor character in that movie but ultimately just as deranged as Bale's Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, albeit in a less bloody manner.

Watching it in 2010 shows signs of its age, prompting snickers when they talk about physical files and folders and carrying their oversized cell-phones, but ultimately it was not too distracting to be able to relate to in a contemporary context.

Overall enjoyable and well made considering the budget. Ending didn't disappoint, although not completely unpredictable.