Employee of the Month

A spoiler light review of Employee of the Month should begin with tone, because Mitch Rouse understands exactly how this comedy ought to feel. Employee of the Month gains early credibility from Matt Dillon, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of Steve Zahn. The foundation of Employee of the Month can be stated simply: It just isn't David's day. Within its 1h 37m running time, Employee of the Month reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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Employee of the Month gains much of its identity from comic timing built around character, a choice that makes the world readable as well as attractive. The contribution of Bob Yari Productions allows Employee of the Month to combine comic timing built around character with a consistent visual language. Within its United States setting, Employee of the Month makes particularly good use of well judged reactions when the story needs to change scale. Sound and editing preserve the personality of Employee of the Month by supporting detail instead of announcing every intended response.

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As director of Employee of the Month, Mitch Rouse proves alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them in the transitions between intimate material and larger demands. A strong scene in Employee of the Month often begins with a modest detail before Mitch Rouse lets its meaning expand. For Employee of the Month, the cast and craft keep the experience watchable because the central tone remains visible even during busy passages. The weakness in Employee of the Month is that too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested, although Mitch Rouse usually finds the original rhythm again.

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What Employee of the Month has to say is rooted in embarrassment, status and the gap between confidence and reality. The experience of Matt Dillon carries that question through Employee of the Month without reducing the character to an example. The central character helps Employee of the Month test the theme through consequence instead of explanation. When Mitch Rouse allows ambiguity to remain, Employee of the Month becomes more involving than a simple statement of intent.

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The narrative of Employee of the Month works from a simple but productive collision between David and First. Through Matt Dillon, Employee of the Month keeps that premise rooted in a reaction the audience can understand. Mitch Rouse introduces Twists at a useful point, giving Employee of the Month a reason to change pace without abandoning its emotional line. The handling of the central character is not equally fresh, yet Employee of the Month usually earns attention through clarity rather than surprise alone.

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The acting in Employee of the Month is anchored by Matt Dillon, who treats even functional scenes as opportunities to reveal character. Steve Zahn answers that approach with a different energy, giving Employee of the Month welcome friction whenever the pace begins to settle. Around them, Christina Applegate helps Employee of the Month feel like an ensemble piece rather than a vehicle with decorative support. Under Mitch Rouse, the performances in Employee of the Month share a tone even when the writing gives them unequal depth.

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Taken as a whole, Employee of the Month is an uneven film with enough personality to remain interesting for comedy fans who respond to personality and timing. Employee of the Month leaves its strongest impression through comic timing built around character, the work of Matt Dillon and a clear understanding of tone. The limitations around how too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested should be acknowledged, but they do not erase what Employee of the Month does well. I would return to Employee of the Month for its personality and its willingness to connect genre pleasure with recognisable feeling.