Review of The Company Men (2010) by Bob C — 16 Jun 2011

Not much better than a small movie dealing with larger than life themes, making the entire thing wonderfully humane and felt. The theme here is corporate downsizing and its affect on people's lives and money.

These guys in white collars and ties may not look like much to care about at first glance, but when they lose their jobs at GTX, a Boston manufacturing company, you will most definitely care. Ben Affleck is superb as cocky Bobby Walker, who h as it all: a top-notch house, beautiful wife (Rosemarie DeWitt), kids, a rocking Porsche and a sweet membership for a golf club.

But then he loses his job, along with his privileges, and pleads for work to his blue-collar brother-in-law, Jack (Kevin Costner in fine form), a building contractor who values the work h e does with his hands.

While at a motivational center Bobby has a run in with Phil Woodward (the great Chris Cooper), an older gent just laid off by GTX and given the indignant advice to dye his hair and remove anything in his resume that predates 1990.

Company CEO James Salinger (Craig T. Nelson) just keeps living the high life, despite the cutbacks. Compassion and empathy comes in the form of Gene McClary (Tommy Lee Jones, excellent), the number-two man at GTX.

Writer John Wells. who has roots in television shows like ER and The West Wing, makes a potent debut, despite his bumps in the road. He has much he wants to say and he admirably brings it up, but not all of it sticks.

He also tends to soften things up a little too much when you might want the script to let loose and go for the jugular. But his actors work miracles. Cooper and Jones give the best two performances of the film.

They and Wells have a instinct for the emotions simmering beneath. The Company Men is one that may hit very close to home, which is what makes it so great.