Screenwriter Steven Conrad's first outing as a director, 2008's The Promotion, is a comedy already destined to be overlooked. It shouldn't be. It's a small film about small successes and the lengths people will go to to achieve modest dreams. It features smart writing, good performances and excellent Chicago locations. It deserves to be seen.
Seann William Scott (star of David Wain's Role Models) is Doug Stauber, assistant manager of a grocery store in Chicago. When the chain begins building a new store, Doug believes he'll be in a shoo-in to make manager -- that is, until new candidate Richard Wehlner (John C. Reilly, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers) moves down from Quebec to compete for the job as well. Both men need the job -- Doug to buy a house for him and his wife (Jenna Fischer of The Office); Richard to start a new, sober life with his wife (Lili Taylor) and daughter. As the two battle in a game of corporate one-upsmanship, both are forced to face their own shortcomings and discover just how far they're willing to go for the job.
For an actor who became known for doing serious drama, John C. Reilly has proven himself an adept comedian. Helped no doubt by a creative partnership with Will Ferrell, Reilly has built an impressive comedy resume in recent years. Here, he dials down the wackiness on display in those films and creates a very real, deeply flawed but essentially good man. Between this movie and 2007's Walk Hard, he's proven that he's a pro at infusing somewhat ridiculous characters with plenty of pathos -- something many straight "comedy" actors can't do.
Scott is a surprise, too. Known mostly for his work as the main douchebag in the American Pie series, he gets to flex some dramatic chops here. His nice-guy slow burn is a highlight, and another of the movie's many pleasant surprises. Both actors also get strong supporting work from Fischer (grounded and gorgeous), Taylor and Saturday Night Live cast member Fred Armisen, who is very funny in a small role as the store's hands-off manager.
An Existential Comedy
Like another film Conrad wrote, the underrated The Weatherman, the movie takes the plight of the everyman and turns it into an almost existential crisis. It's a minor movie, where small behaviors and incidents add up to much more - normalcy as crisis of the soul. That probably doesn't make it seem like the funniest of comedies, which is half right. There's not a whole lot in the film that will have you laughing out loud; its humor comes from smaller moments of believable human behavior. The movie is unique in the way that it's funny while you're watching it, but even funnier upon reflection. That can't be said for too many mainstream comedies.
Bonus Materials
There are a few extra features on The Promotion DVD that are worth checking out -- both for fans of the movie and for those looking to appreciate it more. The best bonus feature is a "making of" featurette that contains interviews with the cast and crew. Writer/director Conrad is very articulate about his intentions with the film, and what he says actually makes you like the movie even better -- you realize he essentially accomplishes exactly what he set out to do. When was the last time one of those standard "making of" pieces actually increased your enjoyment of a film?
Elsewhere on the DVD are some "Promotional Webisodes" meant to advertise the film, but mostly just showcase Conrad and Scott goofing off and being funny. A handful of deleted scenes help round out some minor character details and plot developments. Conrad and the film's producers share a very relaxed (Conrad is almost sleepy) commentary track, covering a good amount about the production and a little about what Conrad's goals were in writing the film. It's the weakest extra -- and, after the excellent "making of," a little redundant.
DVD Details
- Release Date: September 2, 2008
- Running Time: 88 minutes
- 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio (English)
- Spanish Subtitles
- English Captions
- Deleted Scenes
- Commentary by Writer/Director Steven Conrad, Producer Jessika Borsiczky and Producer Steven A. Jones
- Making The Promotion Featurette
- Promotional Webisodes
- Outtakes
- Bonus Trailers
