The Company Men

The Company Men follows Ben Affleck’s Bobby Walker as he loses his high-powered job and must cope with a sudden loss of identity, with the movie also exploring the fortunes of three other men going through similar, career-related crises. Filmmaker John Wells does a nice job of initially establishing the well-cast roster of protagonists, although it remains clear throughout that Affleck’s Bobby remains the picture’s most compelling figure – with the character’s (admittedly familiar) journey anchoring the proceedings and paving the way for a sporadically emotional midsection. It’s clear, ultimately, that it’s in the performances that The Company Men manages to succeed, as Wells has elicited top-tier work from his cast that’s often far more effective than the material itself – with the narrative, for the most part, taking a less-than-subtle trajectory through its multiple storylines (eg there are few surprises to be had here). There are nevertheless a number of strong sequences sprinkled throughout The Company Men’s running time, and it does become fairly difficult not to become wrapped up in the exploits of these compelling individuals – which does, in the end, confirm the movie’s place as a solid (if overly conventional) little drama.

*** out of ****