The Job (2009)

So much average

As Good As It Gets

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

A guy looking to find employment and marry the love of his life gets in over his head when a fast-talking temp agent lands him a job. The Job stars Ron Perlman but unfortunately even him couldn't save this movie from falling apart since i truly found it pretty damn boring to say the least plus the acting was far from good either even from Perlman to say the least. It was a film that wasted it's main star but also the time of it's viewers and probably even their money as well and it was a film that i would not recommend to anyone or anything to see it. (0/10)

But you will never know it. I love Ron Perlman. Everything he is in, even if the movie itself isn't great, I always like his performance. This even stretches that appreciation a bit thin. There was so much potential here. Everything started out so compelling and I was so eager to find out where these interesting characters were going to go and what was motivating them. Then it all just...fell apart. I am not really even sure when it happened. Maybe when Jim (the devil?) was "killing" Martin? Maybe when Mr. D's thugs were threatening Bubba after the killing was supposed to have taken place? Regardless, I was left feeling lost and disappointed at the end of this film. Too many unanswered questions and not enough follow through with the promises of the first half of the movie. I am giving it 5 stars only because I really did love Ron Perlman/Jim/the devil. Something about his acting made even this plodding picture barely bearable.

Not even the actors have a definite idea what "The Job" is about, evidenced by their lack of conviction in the special features. Initially you are introduced to some colorful characters, specifically those played by Ron Perlman and Joe Pantoliano. Unfortunately, only the first hour of the screenplay seems to be developed, and beyond that point the wheels come off completely. The movie requires total suspension of disbelief as regards a certain sleeping bag, and although a puzzle with one missing piece is prominently featured, the entire film plays like a puzzle with an enormous amount of missing pieces. - MERK

The plot at face-value isn't stunning, but the characters are all pretty interesting. A touch of camp keeps the mood light. Perlman definitely steals any scene he's in. I think the ~5/10 rating reflects the strength of the characters alone. The movie as a whole makes a lot more sense when seen as an allegory, in particular the characters of Mr. D and Jim. I keep thinking of moments that probably meant a bit more. It definitely merits a second view. After thinking about the weirder parts/themes- I see a mostly light- hearted attempt at addressing the faustian nature of compromising your self/values in exchange for worldly reward. It is refreshing to see a movie that you can think about a bit. It's like an actual attempt at art. At the same time it doesn't come off as overly pretentious or purposely inaccessible. It's been a while.