Movie: The Good Boss

The Good Boss would have to rate as one of the most ironic movie titles in recent times.

For while the `boss’ Blanco (Javier Bardem) portrayed in this Spanish dramedy may consider himself a good employer, few of his employees or the viewing audience would agree!

The Good Boss follows Blanco as he tries to ensure the company he inherited from his father – Básculas Blanco, one of Spain’s leading manufacturers of professional-grade scales – wins a major award.The problem is he wants everything to be perfect. Yet mostly as a result of his actions, which are far from good, indeed are often evil, things are far from perfect.

Long-time employee Jose (Óscar de la Fuente) has been retrenched after years of service and he’s angry. As a result of his dismissal he sets up camp on a strip of neutral land by the factory’s entrance and stages a one man, rather loud protest.

Fearing the impact of this protest on his chance of winning the award Blanco does all he can to have Jose removed.

Blanco’s right-hand man and long-time friend, Miralles (Manolo Solo), is making a number of costly mistakes at work due to his marital woes. Complicating things is the person his wife is having an affair with. But Miralles also has a lot to answer for in the marital area.  As is his way Blanco feels the need to interfere, providing advice to both Miralles and his wife.

Then there’s Blanco’s fascination with new intern Liliana (Almudena Amor). As we quickly discover Blanco has a history of being unfaithful to his fashion boutique-owning wife Adela(Sonia Almarcha) with his interns.

One of joys of The Good Boss is watching Bardem in action. His appearance and facial expressions brilliantly portray Blanco’s charmingly evil personality.

While there are some funny scenes in The Good Boss, especially thanks to the actions of the company’s security guard Roman (Fernando Albizu), there are also a couple of rather distressing scenes.  And then there’s a moment when you think Blanco may have met his match.

The movie covers a range of emotions stirred by jealousy, betrayal heartbreak, ambition and even death – mostly caused by Blanco’s actions. Those watching can only hope they never have such a “good boss”!

The Good Boss opens in selected cinemas on April 14.