The Promotion (2008)

Regista:

Steve Conrad

Sceneggiatore (WGA):

Steve Conrad (written by)

Data di uscita:

28 agosto 2008 (Singapore)

Genere:

Comedy

Plot:

Two assistant managers of a corporate grocery store vie for a coveted promotion. |

Plot Keywords:

El Train | Racial Slur | Supermarket | Satire | Restroom

Recensioni degli utenti:

A Good 'Win/Lose' Film.

Cast

Seann William Scott	...	Doug Stauber
John C. Reilly	...	Richard Welhner
Fred Armisen	...	Scott Fargas
Jenna Fischer	...	Jen Stauber
Chris Conrad	...	Teddy Grahams
Lili Taylor	...	Lori Welhner
Gil Bellows	...	Board Executive
resto del cast in ordine alfabetico:
Nathan Adloff	...	Pedestrian
Abby Allen	...	Christine Welhner
Chris Andre	...	Grocery Store Attendent
Michael Armon	...	Grocery Store Patron
Gina Barber	...	Grocery Shopper
Bobby Cannavale	...	Dr. Mark Timms
Brent Allen Caputo	...	Pedestrian
Robert Cilia	...	Young Man in Store
Jack Claussen	...	Shopper
Katie Claussen	...	Featured Shopper
Lori Claussen	...	Shopper
Melissa Claussen	...	Shopper
Kelli Clevenger	...	Daycare Worker
Angela Cobb	...	Community Member
Stephanie G. Conti	...	Toll Booth Lady
Charley Cross	...	Grocery Store Shopper
Kathleen Dagis	...	Doctor / Intern
Rachel Daugherty	...	Water Park Pedestrian
Tory O. Davis	...	Keith
Vicky Deckard	...	El Passenger
Ben DeCoste	...	Person in Bar
Jameson Dixon Jr.	...	Community Board Member
David Charles DuBois	...	Doctor / Intern
Matt Dworzanczyk	...	Drug Addict
Ithamar Enriquez	...	Miguel
Anastasia Esper	...	Sylvia Rojas
Joe Farina	...	Kevin Conaway - Pepsi Representative
Ellen Fliesler	...	Cashier
Andrea Frisby	...	Community Member
Dennis Frymire	...	El Passenger
Brian Gallivan	...	Real Estate Agent
Nathan Geist	...	Donnie Wahls
Rick Gonzalez	...	Ernesto
Peter Grosz	...	Guy in Windbreker
Emerald Gunther	...	Craft Maker at Party
Jaide Gunther	...	Comical Boy at Party
Krystyl Gunther	...	Partygoer
John R. Haley	...	El Passenger
Steven H. Hansen	...	El Commuter
Maestro Harrell	...	Gang Member #1
Bryanna Hartung	...	Grocery Store Shopper
Richard Henzel	...	Narrator - "The Good LIfe"
David Hernandez	...	Rafael Velazquez
Safia Jalila	...	Community Meeting Member
Randall Jones	...	Doctor
Kevin R. Kelly
Sharon Kluge	...	Pedestrian at Acrobatic Scene
Bob Kolbey	...	Supermarket Manager
Michael Kuster	...	Doctor Reid
Jake Lakomiak	...	Grocery Shopper
Debra Langland	...	Restaurant Patron
Mario Larraza	...	Edgar
Kristopher Lofton	...	Gang Member #2
Javier Lopez	...	Little Javier
Marko Mancini	...	Ricky
Olivia T. Marcukaitis	...	Grocery Store Shopper
Adrian Martinez	...	Octavio
Eddie Martinez	...	Sylvia's Husband
Guy Massey	...	Lawyer
Betsy McIntyre	...	Cute Pedestrian
Robert McLean	...	Jeff
Nikki Taylor Melton	...	Lizzie
David Moscow	...	Teddy Graham's Friend
Lindsey Nero	...	Store Patron
Masi Oka	...	Loan Officer
Brian L. Orlinsky	...	Shopper / Jeep Driver
Joshua Perdomo	...	Hispanic Employee
James Pusztay	...	El Passenger
Antonette Richmond	...	El Commuter
Phil Ridarelli	...	Man in Therapy
Janelle Rominski	...	El Passenger / Pedestrian
Charlie Scanlon	...	Commuter
Adam Schoenle	...	Grocery Store Shopper
Ashley Schoenle	...	Grocery Store Shopper
Robert F. Sempsey	...	'L' Passenger / Pedestrian
Anita Showalter	...	Cashier
Spo	...	Father at Supermarket
Brandon Spoczynski	...	Son at Supermarket
Kim Spoczynski	...	Mother at Supermarket
Logan Spoczynski	...	Son at Supermarket
January Stern	...	French Tourist
Christian Stolte	...	Gay Banjo Partner (voice)
Tristan Layne Tapscott	...	Pedestrian
Rahul Thakkar	...	Student
Giota Trakas	...	Restaurant Patron
Edwin M. Walker	...	Gang Member #4
Daniel Weaver	...	Grocery Store Shopper
Geramy Webster	...	Brendon
David Dino Wells Jr.	...	Dodgy Guy
Michael White	...	Passenger
Erik A. Williams	...	Grocery Store Shopper
Joy Yascone	...	Second Nurse

Alias:

Quebec (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language including sexual references, and some drug use.

Durata:

USA:85 min

Nazionalità:

USA

Lingua:

Inglese | Spagnolo

Colore:

Colore

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sonoro:

Dolby Digital

Divieti:

USA:R | Singapore:NC-16

Luoghi delle riprese:

S. Greenwood Avenue between 54th & 55th Streets, Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Curiosità:

Though Donnie Wahls (Nathan Geist) is referred to as a bit too "junior" in the film, in actuality Geist had to pluck gray hairs before each day of filming during production.

Citazioni:

Richard: [to Donnie Wahls] Hey, good luck... because you're gonna' need it.

A Good 'Win/Lose' Film.

This film depicts two assistant-managers, at one of the branches of a supermarket chain, applying for the position of manager. One is an American. One is Canadian. They struggle for a promotion to step- up the corporate ladder.

Competition for corporate promotions, and this is particularly true with chains or franchises, causes anxiety and tension by pitting competing employees against one another. Corporate politics, between front-line and mid-managers, often results in unfair and unnecessary control and manipulation by management. This does not promote good relations, between competing employees, and may result in anger and frustration.

In this film, the director and writer (Steve Conrad) and the writer stereotype the actors playing characters who are considered to be insiders or outsiders (this is clearly seen in characterizations by Seann William Scott and John C. Reilly). One is portrayed as the included "shoe-in". One is depicted as the excluded 'fall-guy'. Other actors are stereotyped as 'being gay', or 'being Hispanic', and so on. Are all Americans and Canadians alike? Are all gays, all Hispanics, and all etceteras alike? Stereotypical generalizations, so prevalent in the media (including films), is disturbing. John C. Reilly may become unnecessarily stereotyped, as an actor, by being portrayed as the 'fall-guy' (stereotypically portraying an 'addict', a 'retard', a 'weirdo', and etcetera). Why is an 'outsider' forced into exclusion, and considered to be inferior? Why is an 'insider' forced into inclusion, and considered to be superior?

In this film, a competing employee from Canada is treated as a scapegoat, by a competing American employee, as well as his American corporate managers and subordinates? The Canadian employee is excluded and shabbily treated--and is depicted as being 'different' (diverse) and 'weird' (unusual). Diversity and the unusual are not well managed in corporate America and in American society. Why is any individual, or group, forced into being the scapegoat?

This film, in fact, reinforces exclusion and scapegoating as being a natural course of life. Such things are not a natural course of life as they result in discrimination, inequality, prejudice, and unfairness.

I rank this film a 6 out of 10, as it opens the door for discussion about exclusion and scapegoating. It is very unfortunate that the film does not go far enough in the exploration of exclusion's and scapegoating's harmful and negative results. Why must there always be a loser and a winner? Why does the loser never win? Why do we always cheer the winner, and seldom cheer the loser?