Review of The Promotion

Seriously, what a let-down. It started off great, story was OK (tho overdone it never gets boring cuz it's so real) and characters were decent -although John Reilly's character kept switching (I don't think the writer/director knew what he wanted exactly). But that basically is the problem with this movie: the two assistant managers compete for the main managerial spot at a new location opening soon BUT instead of quirky and witty games, tricks and etc to play on each other NEITHER of them are bad guys so neither of them are doing it... if there are some mix-ups it's by pure accident or slips of tongue. I guess it was to prove that there can still be competition without intentional malice which can be eventful and funny, but here's the thing: it wasn't funny! Not once did I laugh out loud, let alone thought: oh that's clever! The only way The Promotion could work is for the writer/director to get into a time machine and travel to mid 90s before Empire Records and Clerks came out, because guess what, they've already done it!