Review of film: “THE PROMOTION” -- It’s Hard Out Here For An Assistant Manager =

Review of film:   “THE PROMOTION”  -- It’s Hard Out Here For An Assistant Manager = 

                       [ RATING:  8 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Apr 23, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jun 6, 2008 =

[Based on an advance preview:]  One-upsmanship, backstabbing. It sounds like the latest ELECTION… But, in this case, it’s the story of competition for a promotion from being an Assistant Manager to a full Manager at a soon-to-open store of a local grocery chain (which actually does involve "politics" of a certain type)…

…  Writer / director Steve Conrad has crafted a clever and enjoyable commentary on the difficulty of getting really ahead in today’s America. There are quite good, understated (rather than overblown) performances by SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT & JOHN C. REILLY as the dueling A-M’s who are periodically seduced by the “dark side” to try and beat the other and win the higher pay…

…  The side characters (including JENNA FISCHER, GIL BELLOWS and JASON BATEMAN) add flavor to the mix. The audience laughed regularly and enjoyed the vagaries of the competition and the difficulties faced in the Aisles of Right and Wrong… 

[…  SEANN was at the screening in person, & was very “easy-going” & “free-wheeling” in the Q&A with the audience after the film… ]