Direction: Fernando León de Aranoa
Country: Spain
The keen sense of observation demonstrated by Spanish writer/director Fernando León de Aranoa (better known for the sympathetic working-class dramedy Mondays in the Sun, 2002) is on full display in The Good Boss, a timeless, biting comedy with Javier Bardem at the center. This film, an amusing caricature of the so-called corporate values and their politically incorrect behavior, marks the third collaboration between the actor and the director. Their last work together was in 2017, a mediocre biopic about the Colombian druglord Pablo Escobar titled Loving Pablo.
Unlike the latter, the screenplay of this one was well driven, offering a dark yet funny portrait of Julio Blanco (Bardem), the manipulative heir and owner of an industrial scale manufacturing business. This well-spoken charmer appears to employ perfection and equilibrium in everything he does. But, at the very bottom, he’s completely alienated by his materialistic ambition; a sly opportunist who uses and abuses his employees whenever it’s convenient.
While expecting the visit of a local committee that could give him a prestigious and financially advantageous business award, he deals with a series of problems: a recently fired middle-aged employee (Óscar de la Fuente) decided to camp outside the factory and protest vehemently against the unjust measure; a long-time production manager and childhood friend (Manolo Solo) can no longer be trusted at work since his wife is cheating on him; and an irresistible young intern (Almudena Amor) wants more of the boss's attention.
The rapture of The Good Boss is fed by Bardem’s charisma, the smart and humorous lines, and the fluidity of the story. What we have here is playful cinema at its breeziest, one that combines incisive social commentary and a fierce, funny sneer.
