The Promotion (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Alexis N

  
  I wanted this movie to be so much more than what it was. I felt like it was a wasted cast. It was a boring Step Brothers with out Will Ferrell. The whole movie is beyond frustrating, but it had a happy ending. I don't know. It was just okay.

• Richard C

  
  not a really hilarious movie but it has funny parts and has a good story and is entertaining. B

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Seann William Scott, John C. Reilly, Gil Bellows, Fred Armisen, Lili Taylor, Jenna Fischer , Nathan Adloff Doug and Richard, two assistant managers at a Chicago supermarket chain, battle for the same management position at a new store. Though the two seem to have nothing in… More
  Seann William Scott, John C. Reilly, Gil Bellows, Fred Armisen, Lili Taylor, Jenna Fischer , Nathan Adloff Doug and Richard, two assistant managers at a Chicago supermarket chain, battle for the same management position at a new store. Though the two seem to have nothing in common, their battle of wits and will teaches them that they are more alike than they had previously suspected. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kinda slow. But funny enough to keep you entertained. Plus you can kinda relate to the character's. Not a bad watch.

• Nicki M

  
  Good, light, funny movie, perfect for a quiet evening at home. I can see this is not rating too well, but I actually quite enjoyed it.

• Manu G

  
  It was sometimes hilarious times when you can't help but laugh at thise stupid scenes but the movie itself is quite short and leaves u in complete awe. Doug and Richard, two assistant managers at a Chicago supermarket chain, battle for the same management position at a new store.… More
  It was sometimes hilarious times when you can't help but laugh at thise stupid scenes but the movie itself is quite short and leaves u in complete awe. Doug and Richard, two assistant managers at a Chicago supermarket chain, battle for the same management position at a new store. Though the two seem to have nothing in common, their battle of wits and will teaches them that they are more alike than they had previously suspected.

• Arash X

  
  Deadpan humour when most of the jokes simply don't work & Seann William Scott is terrible here & I usually like him, Overall the movie has its moments & the ending wasn't the crappy ending I was expecting which is a good thing I geuss

• Jani H

  
  "I'd like you to read them to me, right now. - Out loud? No, read them to me silently." There's basically nothing seriously wrong with this movie. It has a somewhat funny setting, 2 completely different characters competing for the same job, but it's too… More
  "I'd like you to read them to me, right now. - Out loud? No, read them to me silently." There's basically nothing seriously wrong with this movie. It has a somewhat funny setting, 2 completely different characters competing for the same job, but it's too slowpaced to function as a good comedy. And it really isn't that funny... John C. Reilly is always a joy to watch but even he can't save this movie from becoming easily forgotten. "Also, he's Canadian. They're not the same as Americans, they're nicer."

• Daniel P

  
  John C. Reilly has two tricks up his sleeve: he plays either a socially awkward and overgrown baby or a sadist. So his role in The Promotion, in theory, was a good idea - a socially awkward recovering addict out to get his competition (Seann William Scott, who has progressed from… More
  John C. Reilly has two tricks up his sleeve: he plays either a socially awkward and overgrown baby or a sadist. So his role in The Promotion, in theory, was a good idea - a socially awkward recovering addict out to get his competition (Seann William Scott, who has progressed from Steve Stiffler to Still Stiffler over the last decade...) for the job of manager at their grocery store's newest location. Reilly, however, gets stuck between his two stong suits, and plays them both ambivalently, with no help from a flat performance by Stiffler. While I wasn't expecting anything brilliant out of this one, short of the sparse few laughs along the way, somehow this was still quite disappointing. Slice of life, maybe, but it didn't ring true enough... oh, and one more thing: why exactly is Reilly's character Canadian? On top of that, why doesn't he support his Quebec licence plates by doing anything remotely similar to a Quebecker?

• Mark H

  
  2 guys compete for the same job of running a new grocery store. Wildly uneven in tone: is it subtle satire or wacky workplace farce? Seann William Scott and John C. Reilly show restraint like never before and the laid back attitude works against this material which should have been… More
  2 guys compete for the same job of running a new grocery store. Wildly uneven in tone: is it subtle satire or wacky workplace farce? Seann William Scott and John C. Reilly show restraint like never before and the laid back attitude works against this material which should have been more zany. There is a work retreat sequence in the middle of the movie that is just wonderful, otherwise the movie is sort of a puzzling bore.

• Lewis C

  
  A very enjoyable, low-key comedy. Great performances all around!

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>Richard Welhner: "We're all just out here trying to get some food... sometimes, we bump into each other."</i> A war of wills takes place between two men who want to run the same grocery store in this offbeat comedy from writer and director Steven Conrad.… More
  <i>Richard Welhner: "We're all just out here trying to get some food... sometimes, we bump into each other."</i> A war of wills takes place between two men who want to run the same grocery store in this offbeat comedy from writer and director Steven Conrad. Doug (Seann William Scott) is a seemingly ordinary guy who works as the assistant manager of a supermarket near Chicago. When the owners of the market announce they're opening a new branch near Doug's neighborhood, he applies to become manager of the new store, and both he and his wife (Jenna Fischer) assume he's a shoo-in to get the job. But Richard (John C. Reilly), a gregarious recent hire at the store who has relocated to Illinois from Canada, announces he's also applying for the management position, and a keen rivalry develops between Doug and Richard even as they strive to act like friends on the surface. As the competition grows between the two, their personality flaws become increasingly evident -- Doug's short temper, Richard's history of drug abuse -- and when Richard's wife (Lili Taylor) leaves him, the contest starts taking an uncomfortable turn. The Promotion also stars Fred Armisen, Gil Bellows, and Bobby Cannavale. Think of <i>"Employee of the Month"</i> but a thousand times better. <i>"The Promotion"</i> from the writer of <i>"Pursuit of Happyness"</i> and one of my favorite films of all time <i>"The Weather Man"</i>, Steven Conrad makes his smashing directorial debut that delivers all the laughs and the no-holds barred satirical commentary on modern day corporate environment. This short, amazing little film managed to find its way out of the dregs of epic summer blockbusters out there and places itself at the top beside 1999's cult classic <i>"Office Space"</i> and 2005's sleeper hit <i>"Waiting..."</i> The surprising chemistry between leads John C. Reilly and Seann William Scott worked really well. The guy who was immortalized as Stifler in the </i>American Pie</i> saga proved to us that his acting slate doesn't only consist of wise-ass, annoying turd of a character. Its safe to say that this guy is improving. I'll be seeing more of him in the future. Will Ferrell's other half, John C. Reilly never ceases to impress. His acting skills is actually more suitable in films like these rather than some of the work he did with his pal Will Ferrell. What makes this film work even more is that the jokes and the running gags were actually necessary to the story, it wasn't corny, it wasn't dragged and wasn't over the top. Unlike other comedies out there whose main objective is to create absurd, unfunny jokes. This one is just about right. The plot and character development worked seamlessly with the jokes and the dark humor. <b>4.5/5</b>

• Cory T

  
  Incisive interoffice dramedy that accurately skewers micromanaging and team member retreats that border on occult rituals.

• Nani V

  
  I didn't really care for this one at first, but, it was pretty funny. =)

• Aaron N

  
  Richard: You see, in Canada, "cutting the cheese" means to cut the actual cheese. From the writer of The Weather Man, Steve Conrad now writes and debuts as a director in a very enjoyable comedy working through a number of running gags, awkwardness, and solid performances.… More
  Richard: You see, in Canada, "cutting the cheese" means to cut the actual cheese. From the writer of The Weather Man, Steve Conrad now writes and debuts as a director in a very enjoyable comedy working through a number of running gags, awkwardness, and solid performances. Sean William Scott plays Doug, an assistant manager at a grocery store. He is good at what he does, is marries to a supportive wife played by Jenna Fisher, and is generally confident. He learns of a new store opening and hopes to become manager there, helping him to get a new house and just generally rise up in the world. Doug is considered a "shoo-in" by his boss, played by SNL's Fred Armisan, but things change. A new assistant manager arrives and seems to be messing things up for Doug. He is Richard, played by John C. Reily. He is new from Canada, is married with a child and seems like a fairly good guy. He has had some problems in the past, but is trying to get by. Doug and Richard seem to become rivals of sorts, as the two deal with looking good for the board as they attempt to get the job as manager. Much like The Weather Man, this movie works due to how real the situations are. It can be awkward at times, but its effective and funny. The devotion to characters is also important. Sean William Scott is good as a man being pushed from a calmer life style to building up inner turmoil over his dilemma. John C. Reilly is very good throughout playing this guy as real as possible. There are little things that make Reilly so good here, such as his subtle use of a Canadian accent and his little lines concerning life. It really works in the overall scheme of things. The film works as a quirky character comedy, it drags a bit concerning is short running length, versus how long it can seem, but overall it is an entertaining movie. Richard: You know Doug, we're all just trying to get some food. Sometimes we just bump into each other.

• Jeffrey M

  
  Considering the cast and the concept, The Promotion should be a much funnier comedy. It has some likeability, and has a few authentic and funny moments, but ultimately you keep waiting for it to reach something it doesn't obtain.

• Burger S

  
  I laughed my ass off.

• Sol C

  
  The film kind of reminded me a little of the films In Good Company and Employee of the Month. I thought the story was good and both Sean William Scott and John C. Reilly are terrific in the film. Jason Bateman is also great and hilarious in a supporting role for one scene in the film.… More
  The film kind of reminded me a little of the films In Good Company and Employee of the Month. I thought the story was good and both Sean William Scott and John C. Reilly are terrific in the film. Jason Bateman is also great and hilarious in a supporting role for one scene in the film. However, I thought that the other actors were miscast as the supporting characters of the film. I think if they would have casted those roles better, it would have been a much better film.

• Brandon K

  
  It's funny, but doesn't feel like a complete movie. It should have been darker.

• Andrew F

  
  <i>The Promotion</i> is one of the best surprises of the year. Though it's not funny in a typical Hollywood slapstick way, there are still several hilarious moments. Sean William Scott is wonderfully and surprisingly endearing. The end left me with a big smile on… More
  <i>The Promotion</i> is one of the best surprises of the year. Though it's not funny in a typical Hollywood slapstick way, there are still several hilarious moments. Sean William Scott is wonderfully and surprisingly endearing. The end left me with a big smile on my face. Highly recommended.

• Philip P

  
  Sadly, The Promotion is exactly what i expected it to be-an occasionally funny indie film that doesn't aspire too much more than a human study of how people deal with competition-and in this case-a very unexciting competition. Reilly and Scott seem to be funny guys that were… More
  Sadly, The Promotion is exactly what i expected it to be-an occasionally funny indie film that doesn't aspire too much more than a human study of how people deal with competition-and in this case-a very unexciting competition. Reilly and Scott seem to be funny guys that were told to restrain there funny guy act a bit and they took it to the extreme, some of the situational humor was good, but nothing these characters said was gut-busting and this was supposed to be a comedy. Although it sounds like I completely hated this film, I actually didn't mind watching it-mainly because of the actors-and it was a rather quick film-If you are a fan of Reilly or Scott go ahead and check it out, its worth one viewing, if not, go ahead and skip it.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings