Review of The Company Men (2010) by Sean W — 15 Jul 2011

The Company Men focuses on three business men, each one more successful than the next, and how their lives change with they find themselves without a job. Ben Affleck's character is the most typical business man of the film, and he's also given the greatest amount of screen time. He's a bit of a dick, no doubts there, but as you can imagine, unemployment forces him to rethink his priorities. The nice house, the Porsche, playing golf, eating out . . . it's what he's grown accustomed to and it's taken all away in one fell swoop. This extra time affords him to reacquaint himself with his family and I don't think it would be going too far to say that it probably saved his marriage in the long run. In the meantime, he ends up working for his brother-in-law (Kevin Costner), building houses.

The most humble character would be Chris Cooper's. He's been with the company for over 30 years and truly began at entry level. He goes through the motions, putting a smile on his face and only lets his anger out alone, or around his friend, played by Tommy Lee Jones. Tommy's character was way up the ladder, and he's a man who's come to terms with the type of man he is, and the life he's accustomed to. While that may seem a bit superficial, he still manages to put people first.

Another interesting aspect of the film is the women in each one of these men's lives. They really do have an amazing effect on how the men deal with their current situation.

The movie moves at a pretty brisk pace, jumping from story to story. It never really lingers on any one moment though, which is both a plus and it's downfall. You never truly feel for the characters, as they succumb to movie cliches. I see that the director, John Wells, has written and directed a lot of TV. You get a sense of that watching the film. It's written and acted well enough to keep your interest, but there's not a lot to sink your teeth into.