Today’s quick review: Employee of the Month. David Walsh (Matt Dillon) has hit rock bottom. One day ago, he had a well-paying job at a bank, a nice car, and a fiance who lived him (Christina Applegate). Now he’s out of work, single, and has only Jack (Steve Zahn), his eccentric best friend, to share his woes with. After a night of drinking, David decides to fix things the only way he can: by giving his ex-coworkers a piece of his mind.
Employee of the Month is a black comedy with aspects of a crime drama. The movie is a guided tour of David Walsh’s life, from his engagement and his career at the bank to the events that tear them apart. Punchy direction, Jack’s antics, and David’s personality make Employee of the Month a dynamic watch that toys with interesting ideas. However, its execution falls short in a few places, resulting in an eclectic story that buries the lede.
Employee of the Month is at its best when David and Jack find the right topics to riff on. David is the responsible one, a man with actual prospects and a relationship he’s trying to salvage. Jack is a cynic, a loudmouth, and a slacker who urges David to indulge himself. The film has a hard time finding the right balance between the more mundane parts of David’s life and the absurd parts of Jack’s, but the times it does are darkly entertaining.
Employee of the Month has other interesting ideas to work with, but it tacks them on at the end. Too much of the film is spent on setup that never really pays off, while the parts of the film that make it distinctive all take place within the last few minutes. This gives the film a meandering beginning and a rushed ending, with drama and comedy that never quite hit their stride and writing that isn’t strong enough to pick up the slack.
The result is an eclectic watch that’s one part revenge comedy, one part low-grade personal drama, and one part crime flick. Viewers who are interested in these ingredients should give Employee of the Month a shot, since its characters, writing, and ideas are enough to give it some appeal. Those who are hoping for a more polished, cohesive watch may want to skip it. The same goes for those who dislike raunchy or morbid humor.
For a funnier tale of workplace discontentment, try Office Space. For a crime comedy with a similar setup and a more elaborate plot, try Lucky Number Slevin or The Whole Nine Yards. For a more violent and eclectic black comedy, try Seven Psychopaths. For a black comedy set at a bank with a heavier crime angle, try Flypaper.
6.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for decent humor and clever ideas that never reach their full potential.