Risorse umane

Despite the apparently 'dry' subject matter of conflict in the workplace, this is a passionate film. At times,the scenes are so realistic and so involved that you forget this is a film and are actually watching scenes from real people's lives (which is perhaps because many of the actors are no-professionals as in Bresson & Loach). The film does not provide any easy answers, only more questions. I found the scenes between the father & son very moving especially the one at the end where the father continues working at his lathe whilst the son first berates him for his failure to stand up for his rights and then hurls his father's work angrily onto the floor. A very compassionate film.

An excellent movie, a must for everyone interested in sociology, management or leadership. Terrific acting, partly by amateurs playing themselves, and a setting as realistic as your factory next door. For pessimistic people maybe a bit too depressing...

I am French and I am very proud when I see that such a movie can be produced in my country - It's not a movie with Gerard Depardieu, it's a movie with real situations and real people, about working in a factory, blue collar and white collar confrontation, family feud. Acting is great with only one professional actor, the rest being amateurs. I highly recommend it. It's not an easy piece. But it will you make think.

"Human Resources" is a very French look at labor and management. What I mean is that it takes a decidedly more adversarial look at this relationship...something more common there than in the US or our films.

Franck (Jalil Lespert) is going to be graduating soon from college. So, for his internship, he returns to the factory where his dad has long worked and Franck's job is in the front office...with management. He has arrived at an interesting time, as the relationship between the owners and the workers are deadlocked. The boss insists he's got the workers' best interests at heart and the communist labor leader simply wants nothing to do with him and her position is purely adversarial. Most viewers likely will assume this labor leader is an extremist...and it sure looks that way. Franck decides to try appealing directly to the workers...and he's wildly successful. What he doesn't know is that the boss really IS a duplicitous creep and he's using Franck. So what will Franck do when he learns the truth?

This film is a tough sell for many viewers. A film about labor and management is NOT a sexy or exciting idea for most viewers. It also is very slow at times and features a direct-to-video look. Still, despite all this, it is a powerful and well acted film that gets you to think.

This was a positive surprise... I didn't have a clue what to expect when I rented Ressources Humaines, but it turned out to be a great film with fine performances from the cast (especially Jalil Lespert and Jean-Claude Vallod).

First, the premise is very interesting. What happen with the family dynamics when the sons and daughters are more educated than their parents? Of course, that is only one aspect of this film's premise. Second, the scene where Franck is yelling at, and blaming, his father is absolutely heartrending. Only a stone wouldn't react to that masterful scene. Third, "entertaining" is hardly the word to describe Ressources Humaines, but I have to say that this film seemed much shorter than tired comedies like Charlie's Angels and Scary Movie.

(8/10) Highly recommended.