CHENNAI: Spanish corporate black comedy “The Good Boss,” helmed by Fernando Leon de Aranoa, has landed on Amazon Prime Video. In it, the legendary Javier Bardem plays a boss, Blanco, who seems extremely amenable and smooth-talking, but who is actually as cut-throat as they come.
He does just about anything to promote his company, Blanco Scales, and hides the terrible truth of his slimy personality behind sweet-talking charisma.
Described by its director as “a tragicomic tale of a worn-out labor ecosystem,” the film follows the repugnant boss as he harps on about his Blanco community while on a mission to win a prestigious business award.
He does not hesitate to cut out those he feels are bad for the company's image and the first to get the axe is long-term employee Jose (Oscar de la Fuente). But he does not take this lightly and pitches a tent outside the factory and protests with placards and his two little children. Blanco's woes multiply when his right-hand man, Miralles (Manolo Solo), is distracted by marital woes, which the boss exploits. Interestingly, Blanco's own marriage is shaky and his weary wife, Adela (Sonia Almarcha), also appears disposable as the business owner has an eye for a new intern, Liliana (Almudena Amor).
Many of the situations that oscillate between the workplace and the bedroom may appear comical, but I found them a tad silly. The satire lacks an arrow that is sharp and darting but if there is one thing that lifts this movie to almost the skies it is Bardem’s fantastic performance, which is laced with wit and sarcasm and evil couched in pristine goodness.
