Viewed in
2009
Premise
George Clooney plays a lone wolf whose job is to fire other company employees when their bosses are too scared to do it themselves.
Who should watch
Fans of the cast.
Thoughts
It's a well done semi-comedic drama about one man's isolation in the United States.
What I liked best about the film was the writing. They were genuine people, acting like typical Americans with flaws, defenses, and motivations. Nobody felt like a caricature. There were lots of funny moments, especially involving Clooney showing his new coworker the ropes of traveling and firing people with a personal touch.
I also enjoyed the acting. Clooney was very good as a skilled man with expertly built emotional and mental walls around himself. Vera Farmiga was sexy and charming. Anna Kendrick really stood out as an ambitious young woman who tries to be wiser and stronger than her age. Flanking these three leads were numerous heartfelt performances portraying the angry, sad, and injured ex-employees. Definitely quite a reflection of what real people are suffering from currently.
Unfortunately, I could not see this film as one of the year's best films. Everything about it was very good, but not great. Do critics love it because Clooney seemed to be playing just a shade of himself, and the film reflected many of Americans' current economic woes?
Overall, it was well-written and acted, especially by Kendrick. All it lacked was that 'oomph' factor that I look for in a great, memorable film.
What I would change
Improved the writing in regards to the sister's fiance's subplot. The dialogue when Clooney and the fiance confront each other just seemed unnatural.
