Trends and Entertainment

Layoffs: Now a Major Motion Picture

The first time John Wells had his script about corporate layoffs ready to go, the timing was less than ideal.

He’d been inspired by a brother-in-law who lost his job in the dot-bomb, but the economy got back on its feet pretty swiftly, and there didn’t seem to be an appetite for his movie, The Company Men.

You can see where this is going, so I’ll spare you the transition.

The mancession movie, which stars Ben Affleck (yay), Tommy Lee Jones (double yay) and Chris Cooper as smug executives who lose their jobs, finally started shooting in 2009 and is being screened at Sundance right now.

Reviewers say that Wells, who was an “ER” and “West Wing” producer, brings considerable talent to the project. The cinematography is great. The cast is super. But it’s not the zeitgeist-y winner that Up in the Air has proven to be — and it’s not exactly a feel-good flick.

The Company Men is “a horror film for the white-collar workers over 50,” according to one reviewer. Reuters calls it “one long downer”  and points out that “Those who have been laid off know all about this and those hanging on probably don’t want to hear about it.”

We’re tough. We’re going to check it out anyway. Here’s the soundless trailer on YouTube.

Tags: jobs, layoffs, movies, The Unemployed Life, Trends and Entertainment