Boss Giulio Blanco (Javier Bardem) “Good Boss” Introduced with words of encouragement to the factory workers, his words are underscored by a lilting clarinet-infused score.
The company aims for awards of business excellence, so he says you should be on your best behavior when the judges walk by. Did he say they were like family to him? As if an example is needed, layoff victim José (Oscar de la Fuente) shows up with his two children and starts making a ruckus. He demands that his son and daughter explain to someone that they no longer have a job.
In fact, Julio is not a good boss, as his bubbly demeanor suggests. The film, a Spanish comedy written and directed by Fernando Leon de Aranoa, spans about ten days and follows him as he makes sure everything is set for the awards committee. That means intervening in the marriage drama of an ostensible friend (Manolo Solo) at the factory. That means using his clout to undermine the protests Jose has launched across the street. This company makes scales, but Julio says at the end that sometimes you have to trick the scales and balance them.
“The Good Boss” provides key material for Bardem, who must maintain a veneer of sophistication even as his character’s falsehoods and problems pile up. But as a satire, this film is a no-brainer: it’s not as mean, quirky, or energetic in the challenges it envisions for Julio. It’s not particularly sharp either, unless you have one.
good boss
Unrated. Spanish, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 56 minutes. at the theater.