Customer Reviews

Management

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

this is by far the worst movie I've ever seen. Steve Zahn, who I generally like, played a goofy stalker. it was hard to believe that Jennifer Aniston would fall for such a loser. I expected better with this cast, but even they couldn't turn this turd into a gem.

I watched the entire movie hoping that it would suddenly become good. That never really happened. While Steve Zahn's character grew into something sort of charming, and I did enjoy Woody Harrelson's brief appearance, the script just didn't seem fully developed. Jennifer Aniston's character was not likeable for me, and I think it could be the worst role of her career. She was mediocre, and the script didn't allow us to know her character enough to care about her. When I should have been hoping for Zahn and Aniston's characters to end up together - I found myself hoping that he would meet someone nice and forget about her. There were charming moments - none of them involving Aniston's character, but not enough to make me recommend this movie to anyone.

This film was absolutely beautiful. It has that shy pre-emptiveness we expect from films which deal with tender topics such as love and approaching a girl. We all know that the chances of watching a Jennifer Aniston film and being completely bowled over are slim but this film does do that. I thought she was very good in the film and man, did the film have it's funny moments. Before watching this film, I saw Sunshine Cleaning and I quite liked the film. The one thing that is common between this film and Sunshine is Steve Zahn. Management, however, is the film that I liked more and I thought it had it's heart in the right place. At just 1 hour 20 minutes, this film never promises to conquer the world but it makes you go into guffaws.

This film has no flaws and unlike films like "You, Me and Dupree" this film never tries too hard to be cute. It's amazing how such films can be churned out even in 2009. I wish I had waited and seen this at the movies but that was not meant to be. I sneaked an advanced screening copy from some place and I'm sorry for that. There is wonderful chemistry between Zahn and Aniston. Girls, you will love this. Guys, you will not hate your girls for this. Genuine, free spirited and unabashed.

This movie really brought tears to my eyes. I thought it was going to be a comedy. Instead, it was a romance with very honest characters and an unusually realistic feel to it. I think this is the best role I've ever seen Jennifer Aniston play. Steve Zahn is someone I've liked but never saw him as a leading man.
The words 'leading man' hardly describe him in this movie. He is one of the two main characters (Aniston is the other) and he draws the viewer into his world. At first, you wonder if you really want to be in that world. Then, by the end of the movie, you feel like he could be your best friend.
I can't help but think of another movie, 'Being John Malkovich', that tries to bring the viewer into a world. Sure, that world is topsy-turvy but the point is: that movie doesn't succeed in doing that half as much as this movie does. And that movie was critically acclaimed. This movie has not gathered much notice but I predict it will gain a reputation and stay around for a long time. I've already thrown out my copy of 'Being John Malkovich'.
It takes 20 or 30 minutes to establish some things and it does this at a very slow pace. Stay with the movie - it picks up quickly and you love the characters, you just can't help it.

After screening the first ten minutes of this utterly depressing and psychologically unrealistic "comedy", I asked myself if I'd rather continue watching or eat my own foeces... wherupon I repaired to the W.C. with a bib around my neck, brandishing a knife and fork and grinning that, well, that grin. The 1970s tv series Supertrain was much better than this movie.

Steve Zahn is Mike a night clerk at his parent's motel in Kingman Arizona. Jennifer Anniston is a corporate saleswoman who enters his life one night as a guest and gets him excited that he follows her all over the country to make her fall in love with him. Woody Harrelson plays Django her lover and the obstacle in their inevitable love. Steve Zahn is believable as the dim witted but lovable clerk but his character is hackneyed. Jennifer Anniston and Woody Harrelson are wasted in this enterprise because their characters are so predictable and badly written.
A complete waste of film stock and talent and not to mention my wasted money and time watching and writing this review. The only solace I can find after watching this movie is in the fact at least a few dozen people were employed while making this movie but then a lot of productivity time was lost while watching this movie as well. Miss it. One star 02/05/10

The premise isn't new - dweeb falls for babe - babe finds him repulsive at first, but then grows to love his sincerity and ordinary ways - dweeb and babe ride off into the sunset having both grown into nice people. Yeah right!

It's a hard sell at the best of times, but "Management" just about pulls it off - and it does so because of excellent writing and the stunning acting capabilities of its two principal leads.

STEVE ZAHN plays the hapless, but sweetly naïve Mike Cranshaw who is living and working with his parents in their small motel "The Kingman Motor Inn" in the town of Kingman in Arizona (off Route 66). Mike's Mum Trish is effectively running the solid but uninspiring joint (a beautifully understated performance by MARGO MARTINDALE), while her says-little and does-even-less husband Jerry (FRED WARD at his effective best) seems stuck in a rut he doesn't know how to get out of.

Life at the Motel is routine and boring - especially for the friendless and womanless Mike. But just occasionally - he gets up enough courage to bring a bottle of plonk around to a lady guest in her chalet and try on his `complimentary' wine routine. It never works. But this time - Mike's heart gets more than it bargained for when it encounters the big-city, tight-suited Jennifer Aniston character Susan Claussen, who's in town from Baltimore to flog paintings to corporate clients. Planes to appointments, car rentals to accommodation and a laptop on the bedside, she is the very epitome of a young executive woman going places. Mike is the last person in the world Sue would consider dating, let alone spending a lifetime with...the idea is almost laughable to her. But of course she keeps coming back to his sweetness and he pursues her because he's besotted and simply doesn't understand 'no' - nor get the meaning of boundaries.

Along the way Mike encounters Zen Buddhists, takes piano lessons, sleeps in a basement in a Chinese restaurant and jumps out of a plane. There's one particularly great scene where Sue figures if she lets Mike touch her perfectly formed posterior, he'll give up and she can get on with her presentation notes and get a night's sleep (title above). She leans over and presents the said rear for his delectation. With his hand placed on her right cheek, they talk about weather conditions in Maryland - it's both visually and lyrically - very, very funny.

But what keeps you watching is the growing tenderness between the two. Mike may not be the smartest tool in the kit, but he is heartfelt and sincere - and in many ways despite her obvious intelligence and affluence, Sue isn't. She needs to learn that and he needs to grow up. Woody Harrelson also turns up in a great pantomime role as the ex-punk-rocker Jango who is now rich through dog handling. Later Mike's Mum Trish becomes gravely ill - thereby presenting the two men in her life with changes both may not want but need...and on it goes.

Written and Directed by first-timer STEPHEN BELBER and produced by SIDNEY KEMMEL, the offbeat rom-com "Management" hit the US screens in May 2009 receiving excellent reviews. And on the strength of this September 2009 BLU RAY - it's easy to see why.

I first spotted Steve Zahn in a wonderful film called "Happy, Texas" where he was paired up with Britain's Jeremy Northam as two escaped convicts trapped in a hick town which tames their thieving ways and changes both of them for the better. Zahn's been bubbling under for years, but in "Management" he really shines. A lesser actor might have overdone the inner nerd to go for hammy laughs - and in the real world his character's ludicrous naivety might even have been insufferable, but Zahn makes you ache for Mike's attempts at wooing Susan.

Aniston is more capable now as an actress than she's ever been. Her character's disbelief and dismissive awkwardness at first is so believable - and as the movie progresses - her barriers very subtly start coming down - to a point where you really do believe she would look at Mike as a 'nice guy' - and as 'good for her' - and that's more important than all the material crap in-between. She is superb in the part.

Although it feels like an Indie production, the BLU RAY image is beautiful throughout - really crisp - you are aware almost all of the time that this is high-def and not a soft DVD image.

The extras are great fun too; a feature-length commentary by Stephen Belber and Steve Zahn, Gag Reels and Bloopers (very funny outtakes - mostly of the whole cast giggling and fluffing lines), several Deleted Scenes and a Trailer.

"Management" is not going to bolster up my gravity-bound man-titties or lessen the amount of hair growing out my nasal passages - but it has enriched my brain. At its core is a truly lovely premise - that love will out - and corny or not - that 'is' what many of us believe.

"Management" isn't a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but you can't help but think that the world is a nicer place, because this sweet little ode to hope is in it.

A nice little movie...

I agree with a previous review that this movie is in the vein of The Good Girl, in a funny and lighthearted way. Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn make a cute, quirky, awkward couple (although for most of the film, they're a couple according to only one of them). The movie isn't fast paced, but it's definitely entertaining enough. And if you've ever passed through Kingman, Arizona then you get what draws this couple together.

"Management" is a perfect comedic drama if you want something geniune and quirky.

Steve Zahn plays Mike, a mellow motel clerk. Behind his docile demeanor he's an earnest guy. He doesn't seem to question "why" about things so much as plunge heart-first into them. If that makes you think, "oh no, one of those people" -- remember this is Steve Zahn. He is likeable as the type of guy who wears his Buddhist robe with a zip-up hoodie. I don't know what it is that keeps him from being so sweet as to be saccharin...all I know is that he plays Mike perfectly.

Mike meets Sue (Jennifer Aniston) a traveling saleswoman who sells art prints to motels. He brings wine to her(claiming it is a usual motel service) and awkwardly charms himself into her room. Sue is exasperated, but somehow intrigued. I think his vulnerability pulls her in.

Mike has her number too. He notices that Sue takes care of everybody else, but never herself. He knows who she is beneath her cool exterior. Great combination and great chemisty between these two. They bring out the best in each other. (cute sideline into their characters -- when they are driving bumper cars, notice that Mike isn't hitting people hard enough and Sue takes over the wheel)

Solid script, solid co-stars. Management is the kind of film I'll watch again. (it is emotionally satisfying and it has quiet jokes and interactions that play well a second time) The tone of the movie reminded me just a bit of Harold and Maude -- maybe because this relationship is about the personalities -- and some eccentricities -- and how two people can "get" one another (there's not an age difference in this movie however)

The last movie I truly enjoyed starring Jennifer Aniston was Office Space. Since that time, she has descended into movie "hell" and starred in some of the worst, mind-numbingly awful movies ever produced. This film fits that bill precisely. The plot, in short sum, is this:

A successful sales executive (Aniston) travels to a family owned roadside motel and meets a dim, small-town front desk clerk who falls for her. Although he is far from smooth, she slowly becomes charmed by his innocence and falls for him. The movie documents their inability to really be together since they are separated by geography, class, etc. There are few, IF ANY, comedic moments in the entire film. It drags slowly through the plot and really just depicts the quirky-ness of two individuals with different lives.

This film tries to be artsy, but isn't. It tries to original, but flails around so haphazardly in the process that one wishes both characters would fall down rusted steps at the motel and die a tragic death (thereby, ending the film early).

Save yourself cash, precious time, and sanity, watch a different film.