The Company Men (2010)
Effectively a distant cousin of 2009’s Up In The Air, the directorial debut of writer-producer John Wells explores employment woes amid financial crisis – focusing on the stock manipulation of one corporate chief, at the expense of his employees. Craig T. Nelson plays the corporate chief in question, and he is downsizing his previously successful shipping company, while reaping the financial benefit of the resulting increase in stock value.
Among those at the sharp end is Bobby Walker, played by Ben Affleck. Having created a more then comfortable life for himself, his wife and children as a result of his large salary, the loss of his job at the shipping company leaves him taking manual labour jobs from his brother-in-law (Kevin Costner), and selling his house. Meanwhile, the second-in-command at the shipping company, Gene McClary (Tommy Lee Jones) tries to argue the case for keeping senior manager Phil Woodward (Chris Cooper) in his post – but both are fired, and Woodward takes his own life.
Despite the loss of his job, McClary continues to benefit from the increase in stock prices at the shipping company, and uses the money to attempt to assuage his guilt. He starts his own company, and hires many of those fired from the shipping company – including Walker.
