The buzz on this John Wells–written and –directed film was not strong coming out of January's Sundance Film Festival, but it seems with every bad jobs report since then, this is a movie whose time has come. With Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, and Kevin Costner to work with, Wells spins a compelling tale of the price even those who caused this mess are paying. Should we have sympathy for these newly unemployed fat cats? In the hands of these actors, the answer is, actually, yes.
Wells' simplistic but involving story centers on three of the corporate castoffs from a Boston-area company. Bobby (Affleck) is the living embodiment of the American Dream—that is, until it all comes crumbling down and he's laid off, forcing him to lose self-esteem and confidence as he faces his wife (Rosemarie DeWitt) and family without the ability to be the breadwinner until offered a temporary blue-collar job by his brother-in-law (Costner), a builder.
Phil (Cooper) is a talented, aging exec who goes to dark places inwardly, while Gene (Tommy Lee Jones) is the right-hand man of the no-nonsense and realistic CEO (Craig T. Nelson) who becomes disgusted by the whole process of having to unload good employees and becomes a victim himself.
The film basically follows the different story arcs of each man without flash or a great deal of complexity. Still, it's interesting to watch these men as each enters a personal twilight zone. The timeliness of the subject matter keeps us involved. These guys could be anyone we know.
Affleck, who has been enjoying a nice sort of critical comeback of late, not only as an actor but also writer and director, is perfectly cast as a guy who has lost his footing and no longer can balance his family and career in the upwardly mobile way.
Cooper is heartbreakingly good and authentic as a 60-ish man who has the rug pulled out from under him and quietly goes through hell. Cooper's savvy underplaying gives all the more meaning to this tragically desperate character. Jones is excellent in a variation of roles we have seen him do before. He captures Gene's frustration and represents a good guy in an increasingly coldhearted and bankrupt corporate dead end zone.
Costner is perhaps the most subtle and winning of the bunch as a guy who knows his own limitations but wisely makes them work for him as he watches others crumble. The actor is in extreme low-key mode here, and it's nice to see him holding back in a nice, but not terribly meaty, supporting turn.
The women, including DeWitt and a feisty Maria Bello, are also fine. Although with daily news stories telling similar tales like the fictionalized ones on display here, "The Company Men" is solid entertainment for those who can still afford the price of a movie ticket.
Genre: Drama
Written and directed by: John Wells
Starring: Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Rosemarie DeWitt.