This movie was billed as one of the best of the year. It was not and maybe that is it's subtle message. The movie tries to mirror the angst in modern day America where fat cat executives get richer as they lay off their employees.
The movie begins when a junior exec, played by Ben Affleck, is laid off with others as his company downsizes. The separation package includes twelve weeks of severance and six months of help finding a job. Things get bad as he goes through the grieving process and eventually is forced to eat a slice of humble pie and work as a laborer for his brother-in-law. That worked but I thought that his eventual job ending was pretty unrealistic.
In some ways the movie was thoughtful and got me thinking about the year after I was laid off and looking for work. Even so the story came across as more of a caricature rather than reality because of how the main character is a junior fat-cat himself who made big bucks, drove an expensive car and lived way above his means. It was simply hard to feel sorry for someone who seemed so detached from reality. The movie would have worked better if the character was an assembly line worker for that same company.
So despite a wealth of great actors I cannot give this one high marks. On a scale of ten I give this movie ★★★.
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Irene and I enjoyed it and thought it was good. Movie of the year? I don't think so Tim!
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