"Company Man" is a 2000 film starring Douglas McGrath (who co-wrote and co-directed), Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, Woody Allen, Ryan Phillipe, Anthony LaPaglia, and Alan Cumming - a terrific cast of wonderful talent.
McGrath plays Alan Quimp, a 1960s high school teacher obsessed with correct grammar. His in-laws dismiss him as a moron, and as he's sitting in a steam room, his father-in-law screams at him to get a decent job. Alan tells him that he's with the CIA, but it's a secret. It doesn't stay one for long, thanks to his wife Daisy (Sigourney Weaver) who tells everyone. She even tells a visiting ballet dancer, Petrov (Phillippe) that her husband can help him, and while giving a driving lesson, Alan does just that, he helps Petrov defect.
No one in his family believes he's CIA until a CIA man comes to the house. Taking Alan aside, he informs him it's illegal to impersonate a CIA officer. Upon learning that he helped Petrov, the CIA decides to send him somewhere out of the way. They send him to Cuba, where Castro (Anthony LaPaglia) is trying to oust Batista (Cumming). The head of their group (Allen) wants to leave, but he has to find the mole they're pretty sure is in the group first.
Alan ferrets out the mole by driving him insane until he confesses just to get out. After that, he and a freedom fighter (Turturro) work on ways to assassinate Castro - LSD in the water, which Alan drinks, laced cigars (which a band smokes) and so on. Meanwhile, Daisy joins Alan and is all excited because she can write a book on Alan's dangerous operations.
Some of this movie is incredibly silly, but it's quite funny, with excellent performances. Outstanding was Anthony LaPaglia as Castro - the man should be where Robert de Niro is, he's always excellent. Alan Cumming is Batista and he's a riot. Sigourney Weaver does a wonderful job as the frantic Daisy. Woody Allen is a scream as the clueless head of the CIA operation in Cuba.
As funny as this film is, I would have loved to have seen this film in the hands of Woody Allen, though he's done this type of film before. I think under his direction, it would have been a tad better.
This is a real comedy, not a dumbed down one filled with vulgarity. I recommend it.
McGrath plays Alan Quimp, a 1960s high school teacher obsessed with correct grammar. His in-laws dismiss him as a moron, and as he's sitting in a steam room, his father-in-law screams at him to get a decent job. Alan tells him that he's with the CIA, but it's a secret. It doesn't stay one for long, thanks to his wife Daisy (Sigourney Weaver) who tells everyone. She even tells a visiting ballet dancer, Petrov (Phillippe) that her husband can help him, and while giving a driving lesson, Alan does just that, he helps Petrov defect.
No one in his family believes he's CIA until a CIA man comes to the house. Taking Alan aside, he informs him it's illegal to impersonate a CIA officer. Upon learning that he helped Petrov, the CIA decides to send him somewhere out of the way. They send him to Cuba, where Castro (Anthony LaPaglia) is trying to oust Batista (Cumming). The head of their group (Allen) wants to leave, but he has to find the mole they're pretty sure is in the group first.
Alan ferrets out the mole by driving him insane until he confesses just to get out. After that, he and a freedom fighter (Turturro) work on ways to assassinate Castro - LSD in the water, which Alan drinks, laced cigars (which a band smokes) and so on. Meanwhile, Daisy joins Alan and is all excited because she can write a book on Alan's dangerous operations.
Some of this movie is incredibly silly, but it's quite funny, with excellent performances. Outstanding was Anthony LaPaglia as Castro - the man should be where Robert de Niro is, he's always excellent. Alan Cumming is Batista and he's a riot. Sigourney Weaver does a wonderful job as the frantic Daisy. Woody Allen is a scream as the clueless head of the CIA operation in Cuba.
As funny as this film is, I would have loved to have seen this film in the hands of Woody Allen, though he's done this type of film before. I think under his direction, it would have been a tad better.
This is a real comedy, not a dumbed down one filled with vulgarity. I recommend it.