I don’t know if this is what Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happiness, The Weather Man) had in mind when he wrote and directed The Promotion, but I am feeling bad after watching the movie.
I never thought after growing up watching Sean William Scott as Stiffler in the American Pie series, I would be touched by his serious acting.
No, The Promotion is not a serious, thinking type movie, nor does it tug at your heart. It’s not even funny. To me, it is haunting.
The main characters in the movie, Doug (Sean William Scott) and Richard (John C. Reilly) are the Johns and Janes of the world. It’s us who are stuck in the rat race, chasing after a better life via a better job.
Even if it means playing a little dirty during a promotion’s rivalry.
Both have a lot at stake. Doug has a wife he loves, but they are living in a place they cannot stand it any longer (listening to a gay couple making out while playing banjo every night, anyone?). And they are trying to buy a new house that currently is out of their league, unless Doug gets this job.
While Richard is a family guy, with loving wife and family, just came to America from Canada. The stress of getting the promotion does take a toll on him and his family. He’s a nice guy who tried to be bad, and now trying to be good again for the sake of the family.
The worrying part of this movie is, there is no bad guy. There is not even a good guy. Yet, someone must lose, and we will feel bad no matter what.
And that’s exactly how life’s is. Do animal have friends when they live in the wild. I guess not, since it’s the survival of the fittest. However, we, as humans, have emotions, and those emotions are creating chaos in our survival instinct.
At the end of the movie, one party wins, but still, you’d feel for the other guy, and if you try to put yourself in either of their shoes, you’d realize the dilemma they have.
I don’t think this is my usual review. It’s more like ranting about the effect of the movie to me. Still, this movie, in our economic condition right now, does strike a tone with me.