DVD Review: The Company Men

Hard Times.

Corporate downsizing is effecting the lives of Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck) and Phil Woodward (Chris Cooper) The man in charge, Geme McClary (Tommy Lee Jones) has to watch as his close friends and co-workers are let go. Bobby is hit hard, he loses his house, his car, his lifestyle. Phil, who worked so hard to get to where he is finds himself at the bottom competing to get at the top again. We watch these men as they try to adjust.

The directing and writing were fine, but this movie was a task to get through. I was expecting a drama that really showcased how hard it is to lose a job. It is difficult, and it's easy to blow through your savings when you all of a sudden don't have a steady income. But it was really hard to relate to characters who lose things like their mansions, their porches, their golf memberships. I'm not saying that those people didn't bust their asses to get where they were, no doubt they did. I just compare this to a film like Up In The Air, which was superb by the way. They really made you feel for the characters that were losing their jobs. I feel like this film has trouble connecting with an audience. (me, at least) It's a shame when you have a cast like Affleck, Jones and Cooper.

Recommended: No

Grade: D

Memorable Quote: "We're not selling the house." - Bobby (Ben Affleck)