The Method

2005 "When HR goes too far."
7.1| 1h55m| en| More Info
Released: 22 September 2005 Released
Producted By: Alquimia Cinema
Country: Spain
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

In Madrid seven candidates report for a job interview that uses "the Grönholm method" of selection, as protestors rise up in public protest in the street over the IMF-World Bank Summit attempting globalisation of workers' unions.

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Reviews

Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Marketic It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.
Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.
Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
thesar-2 I'm a sucker for originality plus one-room movies involving "12-Angry-Men" and a set-up that's obviously translated from a play. The Method, which involves a group of "relative" strangers who are all vying for the same position at some strange company, screams the theatre, and that's not a complaint.Despite the actually good – at times – dialogue and the wildly original idea and presentation, what I would like to complain about is how incredibly dull this movie really is. And it had so much potential.I mean, this movie is about a group of men/women who want desperately to be hired, but they MUST pass some psychological tests to gain employment. They raise the "tension" and "suspense" in who gets eliminated from the running for one open position, but they're always acting like someone will die or lose a million dollars such as the similar Survivor reality show. It's really not that big of a deal, but I suppose we're supposed to care, nonetheless.Also, this movie's been compared to 12 Angry Men or In the Company of Men. Phooey! Both are superior movies and while 12 Angry Men involve a much deeper outcome, In the Company of Men had wit, charm and actual tension that The Method couldn't match.So, here's the synopsis: we have candidates with various backgrounds who have filled out several of the "same" applications and they're all segregated into a room hosted by a beautiful secretary, Montse (Verbeke) and they must pass "tests" and "vote off" their peers so only one is left standing. All the while, there's a huge and seemingly irrelevant World Bank protest taking place many stories below where they're "held." Far be it from me, hee-hee, to criticize a movie for "not catching the meaning" of the protests – and they show its aftermath in the closing, but I just didn't get it. At any rate, I guess it was to foretell the economy's not good and these individuals really do need to gain employment here.During this interviewing process, we'll learn more about people, either by their body language, speeches or, ah-hem, bathroom breaks that involve sex and masturbation from both sexes. Also, most of them will work at deceiving the others to get hired, much like those fake-reality shows.I will say this: the acting's good, the dialogue's fine – if you don't mind fast-reading subtitles and though it was not a greatly paced movie, at least they continuously attempted to step the game up to move the elimination process along. And the finale with the final two "contestants" was actually well written and full of suspense, even when you know who the final two will be from, about, minute one. I would recommend with strong reservations. It's not an exciting movie, but at least it's watchable.
Absyrd The Method Before I begin my review, I think I should clear up that the "Gronholm Method" is an obscure method of interviewing someone for a job. It involves gathering up a number of candidates eligible for a position, but rather than openly interviewing them as a process of discovering their usefulness and weaknesses, there technically is no "interviewer". In the film, the candidates are placed in a room with six laptops (one for each contender to receive notes) and they are forced to psychologically analyze each other to discover a "winner". They are issued a series of challenges and hypothetical situations in which they are forced to pick out the weakest of their group. There is always the lingering plausibility that any one of these contestants can be the true interviewer, or perhaps there could be multiple interviewers? Maybe there is only one true contestant, or maybe they are all role-playing in a method to promote a staff member in the company? Any of these explanations are reasonable, because when we're discussing a method as cynical as the film's depiction, it's almost superficial to narrow it down to one solution.I'm not entirely sure about the historical authenticity of the Gronholm Method, or if it even exists (a Google search sent me to the film's IMDb + Wikipedia page), but I can almost assure if the film were a multinational box-office success, small businesses would begin to experiment and possibly adapt the assumed fictional method. I personally wouldn't mind being an interviewee of such a system, for it allows me to challenge my intellectual abilities in an intense competition. As for the film itself, when its narrative followed the characters as they explored each other's limitations and the film analyzed their credulity and startling enthusiasm to such a sport, it was an intensely riveting experience. The characters were developed with careful and relentlessly strengthening three-dimensional traits, and the methods of interviewing grew more severe and brooding to reveal the true nature of man. The first 50 minutes of this film were pure exhilaration, a haunting psychological depiction of cat & mouse. To me it was almost a nostalgic resemblance of the superfluous anxiety found in 12 ANGRY MEN, as I'd never felt so absorbed by long-running dialogue since.After several characters are eliminated from the process (I'm not about to explain who, why, or how), the film takes a break from its intense onslaught of psychosomatic progression. This veers the film off-course and unfortunately causes it to wane off a bit. Greed is replaced by hormones as one character randomly feels like having sex with one of the remaining interviewees. Although a bit absurd, it also fits the animalistic desperation the contestants must be feeling by this point. They've been stripped bare from social courtesy, and are now physically fighting one another, no longer caring for outer appearance. I'm not sure if it justifies going as far as it does, but it would've been totally implausible to remain as a restrained and gracious drama.A romantic subplot also develops between two interviewees. They had once been lovers, but one betrayed the other, and neither had ever forgotten. They still longed to be together, but the hostile circumstances made it impossible for them. The subplot does reach startling poignancy at one point, but does the film ever get back on track? Does it ever re-enter its initial excitement? Unfortunately, the writer didn't trust his sardonic examination would make for a fully satisfying viewing. His decision to switch gears was more detrimental than refreshing, and that may be the only aspect of the film that inhibited greatness. It still makes for a relentlessly entertaining viewing, one that not only provokes thought, but questions human morality in a time of conflict. Cynical, but excellent.
jotix100 Somehow, all the job applicants we meet, as the film opens, seem eager to please until they start comparing notes; for some, this is a second interview. Since it's never clear for what position they are applying, one must assume it will be, at least, well paid. The five men and two women we meet turn out to be fierce competitors in a game where only one will get the prized employment.In a way, one wonders who, in its right mind, would like to be subjected to such an intense and grueling process of elimination in order to have the privilege of working for this mysterious firm. After all, nothing is made clear. As they go through the paces, outside chaos reigns as people take to the streets to protest against a global conference now taking place in Madrid.Enrique is the one that discovers what the game is like. He tells the others it seems to be the Granholm Method, in which aspiring employees must compete with one another until it's clear who will be the chosen person. Ana, who is an older woman, has her age against her. Julio, who was an executive that had to make a tough decision doesn't seem to have much chance at succeeding. Fernando, a sexist man, shows no mercy for anyone. Ricardo, who speaks loudly, but appears to be overly confident, doesn't seem to be a sincere contender, although he questions everything. Only Carlos and Nieves, who knew one another before, show the intelligence for being the logical choice.Marcelo Pineyro, a director we have admired before, shows great restraint in the way he shows the material on the screen. In fact, this film has a theatrical feeling, which can't hide this is a work that was created for the stage by Jordi Galceras, and brilliantly adapted by Mateo Gil."El Metodo" shows an excellent cast of young Spanish actors that interact well with one another. Eduardo Noriega and Najwa Nimri are seen as Carlos and Nieves. Both give controlled performances. Mysterious Pablo Echarri, also impresses. Eduard Fernandez, Carmelo Gomez, Adriana Ozores, Ernesto Alterio and Natalia Verbeke complete the cast on this interesting film.
incitatus-org Seven candidates show up at some multinational in Madrid, all of them in the last round of a recruitment process. While the city is immersed by anti-globalization protests on the streets down below, the candidates are turned on each other for the selection. A sadistic analysis of the contemporary business world, pushed just that little bit further to earn it the title of a satire.The cruel game is played out in the confines of the office, with the candidates fending for themselves under the presumed watchful eye of the named, but anonymous, entity which is the corporation. The tension mounts quickly, as the strong characters clash head-on in their perfectly developed manipulative manners after their years in business life. An excellent cast plays clever but tough dialogues in scenes which are a little too close to reality for comfort. A clear message surfaces as the film comes to a close, leaving a sour aftertaste. Not an uplifting movie to watch, but ingeniously crafted. Bare in mind that you may want to lay in the sun after surviving this one.