The Company Men ****

The upper crust marches on in The Company Men, an exploration of life after downsizing in the new global economy.

Three men lose their six-figure jobs at conglomerate GTX in order to boost its stock price prior to a merger. Ben Affleck plays Bobby, a VP of Sales; Tommy Lee Jones plays Gene, a conflicted division chief, and Chris Cooper is Phil, a lifetime company man who began as a welder in its now-idle shipyard. Of the three, Cooper has been given the most moving role to play, and his performance is stellar.

When Bobby loses his Porsche and his son returns his Game Boy, it's tough to muster much sympathy for the characters at first.

Months later, Bobby discovers that there are virtually no jobs available and his severance pay is running out. It matters not how stellar his sales skills are or how professionally he searches via a well-meaning outplacement firm that touts outmoded, rah-rah career strategies.

What's not outmoded is the willingness to recreate oneself and act boldly in a crisis. The three company men strive to let go of the "you are what you do" mindset. By finding and believing in their innate human value, Bobby and Gene redefine self-respect.

Bobby's family digs in as his wife Maggie (feisty Rosemarie DeWitt) returns to part-time nursing and puts their pricey home on the market. Bobby finally swallows his pride and accepts a construction job from his irritating brother-in-law Jack (Kevin Costner). As a gruff, funny wise guy, Costner brings a refreshing middle class perspective into the film.

Phil struggles the most as an outplacement counselor advises him to dye his gray hair and to remove "anything pre-1990" from his resume. Something is gained but much is lost in this strategy of erasing one's past to appear younger.

Phil is devastated that he is unable to meet his daughter's next tuition payment at Brown. In a poignant scene, he shouts and throws rocks at the glittering windows of corporate headquarters in the middle of the night. Cooper highlights the dilemma of older Americans who still have much to contribute in an environment that does not value them.

Gene faces the emptiness of his existence in an affair with human resources downsizer Sally Wilcox (gutsy, sexy Maria Bello). He seems genuinely concerned about the hundreds who have been downsized, and has lost any feeling for his wife and his antique-filled mansion.

The cold villains of The Company Men are CEO James Salinger (Craig T. Nelson) who rakes in $22 million for himself as he shops for sleek new corporate offices; and Bello's Wilcox, who claims she feels badly but continues to chop heads like a suave executioner.

The Company Men doesn't cover much new ground. George Clooney's unforgettable performance in Up in the Air had more depth as his downsizing launched him on a powerful inward search.

Another disappointment is The Company Men's choppy editing. Director John Wells was executive producer for The West Wing and ER.

The film brings up a few clichés. Bobby discovers the gifts of quality time with his son as they shoot hoops on the driveway. "You have me," Maggie reminds her despairing husband. Bobby admits that he's relieved to be free of constant corporate fears and pressures.

As Gene and Bobby walk through a rusty, deserted shipyard, Gene begins to smell new opportunity. Success will mean starting all over again.

If you liked The Company Men, you might enjoy Up in the Air; Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; Casino Jack.

The Company Men 2010 / R / 1 hour, 44 min

Cast Overview: Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Craig T. Nelson, Maria Bello, Rosemarie DeWitt, John Doman, Tonye Patano, Cady Huffman

Director: John Wells

Genres: Drama, Indie Drama