Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Company Men
2010
***
Director: John Wells
Cast: Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Rosemarie DeWitt, Maria Bello, LeShay Tomlinson, Craig T. Nelson, Eamonn Walker

When the GTX corporation begins to downsize, three men are forced to reassess their lives. Bobby is a young sales manager who refuses to swallow his pride, Phil is a weathered veteran who feels powerless, and Gene is the number two who cannot recognize the company he helped to co-found. TV veteran John Wells' directorial debut is a well-acted and slow-paced drama which offers a topical look at modern day capitalism where the share price valuation drives all business decisions. This smart and believable film acknowledges, through Gene's words, that times have changed; paper pushing has replaced old-fashioned manufacturing. However, this is completely at odds with the story's cautiously optimistic ending.