The creators of "Corporate" deserve some credit for miraculously making sympathetic a cutthroat head of the Human Resources department in a corporation.
At first glance, Emilie Tesson-Hansen seems responsible for the intimidation of an employee named Didier Dalmont, who takes his life after being harassed and let go by the company. What follows is an investigation into corporate malfeasance, and the target of the inquest is the HR director Tesson-Hansen. The major question raised by the film: Was Tesson-Hansen the instigator of abusive practice, or was she also a victim?
While there were some slick production values of the unpleasant and unwholesome work environment, the film was ultimately unsuccessful in demonstrating inhumane working conditions in what are undoubtedly standard hiring and firing practices in the corporate world.
It was especially unconvincing that an outside "inspector," Marie Borrel, would be sent in conduct interviews and then work in concert with Tesson-Hansen to unmask the executive Stéphane Foncart for his devious plan to offload undesirable members of the staff.
Another shortcoming of the film was the depiction of the home life of Tesson-Hansen and a truly bizarre scene that involved Emilie conducting what would appear to be an interview of her husband and disrobing in the process. The husband's role in the affairs of her office work was never made clear. And what was the purpose of the scene where Tesson-Hansen decided to get drunk with a coterie of Japanese businessmen?
In the end, the film was not absorbing as an exposé of corporate shenanigans. It was slow-paced with far too many extraneous details. Arguably, every employee of Tesson-Hansen's corporation was a victim for choosing to work for such a sleazy operation in the first place.
6.4Keywords: suicidehuman resources
Plot summary
Emilie, one of the Human Resources Managers at the Esen multinational, has recently been chosen by her superior Stéphane Froncart for her elegant ruthlessness. She indeed has the ability to find the words which persuade employees or executives judged redundant to resign, even if it takes a long time before they give in. She performs her task without moral compunction until the day when one of the employees targeted, Didier Dalmat, kills himself by jumping out of the window of his office. Not only is she deeply upset by this tragedy but she soon realizes that the firm's top brass want to have her take all the blame.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Movie Reviews
The Cuture of Victimization
Very real
This movie is a gem. Well done, well acted. Supreme. This is exactly what is happening right now in many companies around the world, not necessarily corporations, but the mid companies and small. They get rid off good employees, older employees like underwear. I think anyone can relate to this movie. Recommended.
Awful
Terrible storyline and unrealistic.
Terrible acting also.
The preamble says the employee takes his life in front of the HR exec. He doesn't. You hear a thud and then see him all in one piece and remarkably clean prior to being trollied away.
I dontco sider 46 to be a young exec? Film is stuck in the 80s. Awful.