If you’re looking for a bit of escapist entertainment, The Company Men certainly isn’t it. Writer/director John Wells pulls few punches: a large shipping company as they lay off scores of employees as a cost cutting measure. he film follows the fallout as several former employees from various levels within the company console one another and try and find a new job in an economic downturn.
Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck) is a top salesman for GPX, a high-profile international shipping company. At 37, he makes enough money to live in a big, million-dollar home, drive a flashy sports car, have Patriots season tickets, and provide lots of material things for his wife and kids. One day, without warning, Bobby is fired. It seems a slow economy—not to mention the construction of a new office building—have forced the company to cutback where areas of “redundancy” surfaced. Phil Woodland (Chris Cooper), a company man for nearly thirty years, who worked his way up from the factory floor, is let go soon after. Company founder James Salinger (Craig T. Nelson) even gives the boot to his best friend and longtime co-worker Gene McClary (Tommy Lee Jones).
Hoping to keep up appearances, Bobby pays the membership fees at an exclusive golf club, and drives a Porsche, even as bills continue to pile up. After all, he has to ‘look’ successful. Though Bobby’s apparent refusal to accept his new financial situation put stress on his marriage, his wife Maggie (Rosemarie DeWitt) stays firmly by his side. At nearly 60, Phil is confronted by a job market full of up-and-comers that doesn’t value his experience. With one kid in college, and another on the way in the fall, he is humiliated by his situation. As second-in-command at the company, Gene is haunted by the loss of his industry, left with a mistress (Maria Bello) and the pain of a manufacturing dream that’s died on his watch.
John Wells does a fine job of keeping the story balanced to avoid becoming too preachy. The characters here have to make some difficult choices. As such, there are moments of emotion, but it’s those moments that give each of them a real sense of humanity—they become characters a lot of us can likely relate to. The main lesson of The Company Men seems to be that while jobs are important, making the most money isn’t necessarily the pinnacle of success, despite what many of us have been taught.
While none of the performances are particularly memorable, each cast member performs well. They all project an honest sincerity that adds to the overall power of the film. Ben Affleck is the strongest of the bunch, outshining even a quality effort from Tommy Lee Jones. Affleck reflects the ups and downs of his character brilliantly. The script is well done, giving these talented actors a piece that allows them to show what it feels like when facing the uncertainty of unemployment.
The Company Men arrives on Blu-ray with a picture-perfect 1080, 1.78:1-framed transfer. Detail is pitch perfect throughout, and you can pick up the smallest of facial features. Every wrinkle on Tommy Lee Jones’ weathered face can be clearly seen. Colors are handsome and realistic, stable. Blacks are well-defined and never crush out details, while skin textures remain naturally neutral throughout. A light layer of grain gives things a filmic texture. the absence of banding and other issues is a big plus.
The Company Men‘s DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack primarily concentrates on the nuances in voices. This is fine, since we are dealing with a dialogue centered film. Scoring cues find their place without disruption, while soundtrack cuts offer more strength. Atmospherics are solid, creating a hollow feel of office space, while domestic interiors keep a slight echo to reinforce the scale of the homes.
English SDH and Spanish subtitles are offered.
We get the following special features:
- Audio Commentary: Writer/Director John Wells discusses the real-life events that influenced the film, the research that ensured authenticity within the story, the work of the cast, shooting locales, the story’s themes, the contrast in characters between those who are pragmatic and realistic and those who refuse to accept the truth, and more.
- Alternate Ending (480p, 12:52).
- Deleted Scenes (480p, 7:16): Bobby’s Stock Tip, Bobby Wakes Up Early, Bobby & His Dad, Gene & His Wife, Extended Dinner, and Phil Looks For a Job.
- Making The Company Men (480p, 14:23): Cast and crew discuss the story and its themes, the quality of the performances, and the film’s relevancy in modern times.
