Life and Death in the Warehouse

Megan Roberts lands a new job at a Welsh Warehouse, where she bumps into Alys Morgan, a friend from her childhood. In a company obsessed with pick rates and speed, Megan

Definitely an eye opener, I think we all know the firm in particular that they're taking aim at, and if you've worked in such a place, you'll understand it. These places on the outside look terrific, smiling management, often amazing staff rooms, gyms, but the demands are diabolical.

Alys's story genuinely made me feel uncomfortable, it was sickening, and what's worse I imagine cases like this aren't just imagined.

Megan's story was equally interesting, her transformation from shy and naive employee to corporate monster was something.

Craig Parkinson was so good here, Dot was a pretty nasty character, but even he has nothing on this guy, what a monster. The cast were great I thought, every character meant something.

Some of the dialogue is shocking, off-boarding, such a polite term for getting the sack.

Forget customer is key, the only key here is cash, that's what drives these businesses, forget staff welfare, it's about the bottom line.

Guy wrenching, addictive viewing.

9/10.

Life and Death in the Warehouse is a hard-hitting drama about what life is like for the thousands of workers inside the massive online retail warehouses. Tragically it is all too real with toilet breaks, conversations and 'pick rates' constantly measured and failing leads to ruthless off-boarding (sacking). The management's passive aggression and gaslighting is a like a constant smack in the face. I'm certain this will spark conversations about working conditions. Congratulations to the writer Helen Black and all the cast and crew involved in making this drama. It was brilliant and deserves all the awards.

Watching this, I was reminded of reading about Soviet style encouragements to greater productivity. The hardest workers were paraded and lauded as an example to the comrades, while those considered "lazy", were the victims of oppressive behaviour by the supervisors. All the time, the Communist Party, were the beneficiary of what might be analagous to "Customer Focussed" attention, that kept rearing it's ugly head throughout this film.

Ever wondered why these sort of businesses set up in depressed areas? A frightened workforce is a compliant workforce, and most here were complicit. Just as in the days of Soviet Labour, in todays so called market economy, fear and useful idiots are the business drivers.

Harrowingly good, so honest. Makes you feel guilty using Amazon et al. Brilliant script, great cast. Craig Parkinson especially good as the sinister manager 'devoted to the customer and the team'. Let's hope the BBC repeat it in a much more prominent slot. Deserves at least one BAFTA award too.

This is an excellent little film. Little, in terms of runtime & budget, enormous in terms of engaging story-telling that realistically reflects reality for a great many people, (even in some of the world's richest countries ~amplified in the rest) and indicates the true nature of the forces behind it.

Tightly written, concisely directed, convincingly acted, drone-shot punctuated efficient cinematography.

So much better than small stories told with big budgets.