Review of Management (2009) by Victor R — 02 Feb 2010

Who doesn?t love a nice romantic story about a psychotic stalker? Imagine you?re a businesswoman sent on a business trip by your company. You?re on a tight budget so you stay at an inexpensive motel. You?re in a strange town with strange people. You?re going over your notes for the presentation you?re going to be making the next day. Suddenly, there?s a knock at the door. The night manager, who you just saw at the front desk when you checked in is there to greet you with a nice bottle of ?complementary? wine. He explains that every guest gets a bottle. In reality, he?s only there because he wants to have a drink with you. You?re not naïve, you know why he?s there, but he seems harmless in a weird kind of way. You share the drink and you send him out on his way. There was something charming about the poor guy. He wasn?t terribly smart, but he wasn?t ignorant either. You thought he was cute, not a real catch, but what the hell, he lives in a different state. You?ll never have to see him again. So you sleep with him the next day!

You go back home and you try to put the fact that you had a one night stand with a total stranger in a strange city out of your mind and go about your life. You go back to work the next day thinking that you?re going to have a nice boring day like you always do, except for this time someone has paid you an unannounced visit. You are now face to face with what could only be described as a stalker. You freak out a little, but you remain cool. You explain to him that this is completely inappropriate and unacceptable and that he needs to leave. He says to you, ?I just gave up everything I had to be with you, doesn?t that mean anything to you? Just give me one day, one day and if you don?t like me after that, I?ll go away and never bother you again.? Now I ask you, what would you do?

I am fully aware that this is a ridiculous situation and it is the premise of Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn?s latest movie Management. Steve plays a rather ?confused? young man who is not sure who he wants to be. His mother owns and runs a motel and he always thought that he would take over it after his parents pass, but is he really happy with that arrangement?

Jennifer plays an educated version of Steve Zahn?s character. She has a job, but she?s not totally happy working there. Her dream job is to take care of the homeless by running a soup kitchen or perhaps a housing development for the underprivileged. Jennifer falls for Steve, which I?ll admit is quite strange, because why would anyone fall for a stalker? In any case she likes him, however, she doesn?t want a relationship with him because when she thinks about their future together she can?t see herself living with an uneducated man who has no means of supporting her other than running a motel. In this case, love isn?t enough for her.

Yes, the plot of this movie is a little out there, but that doesn?t make this movie any less enjoyable. The story is so much more than just a silly romantic or stalking encounter. It is about fighting inner demons, it is about resolving personal problems, it is about becoming the person you want to be instead of the person people want you to be. Both Jennifer and Steve give really good performance. Their on-screen interactions are quite stirring and in spite of the retarded plot, the story is pretty sweet and moving. If you like romantic comedies, I think Management is definitely one to consider. I don?t think that it?s getting the credit it deserves.