230. The Good Boss (El buen patrón); movie review

 

THE GOOD BOSS (EL BUEN PATRÓN)

Cert 15

115 mins

BBFC advice: Contains  strong language, sex, violence

The toughest part of being a boss? One word. People.

During a career which spanned nearly 40 years, I was in management the majority of the time and I can well imagine the negative thoughts of some of those who worked under me.

Everyone complains about bosses, don't they? They resent the money they earn and often think they could do better.

Of course, when they are given responsibility, they find it isn't quite as straightforward as they thought.

Brilliant Javier Bardem plays a company owner in  Fernando León de Aranoa's smart Spanish satire The Good Boss.

Despite claiming that he considers his workforce to be family, he is beset by problems that they are causing in the lead up to an anonymous visit by judges of a prestigious award.

However, he is also his own worst enemy because he has a penchant for the firm's attractive young interns.

Bardem's character, Blanco, is an intriguing anti-hero whose tactics in trying to ensure he gets his way, range from sledgehammer to subtle.

His main trouble comes from his most loyal manager (Manolo Solo) who is in meltdown and, consequently causing chaos at the factory, because his wife (Mara Guil) is having an affair.

Meanwhile, a sacked worker ( Óscar de la Fuente) is giving him further headaches with a one-man demonstration at the company's entrance.

But he doesn't realise that his greatest threat may come from his own inability to keep his trousers up and his fancy for the sharp new trainee (Almudena Amor).

I loved the pacing of The Good Boss. There is always something to keep the audience interested with some intriguing twists and genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

And most of all there is Bardem. He is pitch perfect.

 

Reasons to watch: A class act by Bardem

Reasons to avoid: A little repetitive

Laughs: Three

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Did you know? The number of UK employment tribunal cases brought by workers suing their bosses over alleged discrimination or harassment dismissed as 'banter' rose by 44 per cent between 2020 and 2021.

The final word. Fernando León de Aranoa : "In the last 10 years they changed labour laws in Spain regarding the rights of the workers, and each time they changed, it got worse and worse and worse.  All of that fuelled my writing.  I was upset and I felt like that all had to be in the film." The Au Review

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