La Méthode

This is one of the best films I've seen all year! If you've ever been to a job interview with multiple applicants or even to one of those assessment centres big companies have you will recognize a lot of things in this movie.

"The Method" starts off with an engaging split-screen title sequence reminiscent of the TV series 24 which introduces the characters and the events around them: The story takes place on the day of the annual IMF & World Bank meetings and a huge anti-globalization protest is mounting that is threatening to shut down the city. This however belies what will follow in the next two hours.

Seven applicants for an executive position at a large company are more or less locked up inside a room and put through a novel mysterious selection process called "The Grönholm Method" which is supposed to determine the one applicant who is most fit for the job. The limited setting of the movie works perfectly and allows the audience to concentrate on and engage with the characters and the clever dialogue. Adapted from a theatre play the script takes the characters through little insidious games aimed at eliminating one applicant after the other. The movie quickly gets into a state of heightened reality, amping up the tension as everything gets more and more psychologically violent. Without giving anything away all I can say is that there's no backing down, it gets pretty hardcore and you can expect quite a few twists! After a particularly intense round in The Grönholm Method the audience is suddenly assaulted by the sound of the violent riots going on in the streets below while the camera remains focused on the actors. This moment is pure Haneke and through the contrast of non-diegetic sound perfectly illustrates the violence behind the ruthless shoot-first-or-be-shot modern day job world.

Watching this movie carefully while giving it your full attention pays off since the plot twists are carefully build up and you can have a lot of fun and gratification in correctly predicting them. Also, if you're a cynical bastard like me, you will find a lot of laughs in the dialogue.

Highly recommended!

A top-notch cast under superb direction by Marcelo Piñeyro makes this movie above average in every aspect . During IMF & World Bank Summit and demonstrations which upset Madrid, like other big cities , seven candidates report for a job interview . Protesters rise up in public protest in the street over the IMF-World Bank Summit attempting globalization of workers unions . As the group interview begins high above in a corporate meeting room where are the applicants for the difficult competition . Major corporation Dekia holds interviews a lot of applicants , these are the followings : Eduardo Noriega as Carlos , Najwa Nimri as Nieves , Eduard Fernández as Fernando , Pablo Echarri as Ricardo , Ernesto Alterio as Enrique , Carmelo Gómez as Julio and Adriana Ozores as Ana . Their doubts begin when they must sign a clause accepting the Grönholm method, which nobody ever heard . Attended by a secretary well played by the beautiful Natalia Verbeke , they become involved into twisted problems , complicated tests , verbal attacks and contra-attacks and many other things . There are some computers which show different messages to each of the roles , and when they are eliminated from the test , the computer gives out a "no signal" . It soon becomes clear the questions are dirty mind games, but never what is true and what the trick . They also have to guess who among them is the enterprise mole and must decide who the traitor is . When HR goes too far the events go awry .

This is a brooding film in which there is a psychologically intense studio to recruit a top executive from seven applicants . There are battles of wits among varied group of applicants as their priorities, ethics and loyalty are put trough stressing tests . It is a deep as well as engaging exam about the job application process . Though the whole movie is set in an office room it never lacks for taut , suspense , intrigue and inspired direction . The struggle behind closed doors , as they repeatedly eliminate one of their number from the procedure ; it results to be tense , charged and riveting . The picture has the best elements of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross , Neil LaBute's In the company of men and Sidney Lumet's 12 angry Men and ¨El Metodo¨ by Marcelo Piñeyro. Jordi Galceran's brilliant play was left virtually intact in its move to feature film . This famous play was splendidly directed by Marcelo Piñeyro with an extraordinary plethora of actors who give awesome performances . Because the painstaking rehearsals for the film lasted some exhausting weeks , filming had to be completed in an unprecedented time and shot in a few separate takes . The acting level of the cast during some of the intense discussions and debates almost bursts in the screen . The movie can be used in business schools and workshops to illustrate team dynamics and conflict resolution techniques . Very good acting by a Spanish all-star cast such as Eduard Fernández , Pablo Echarri , Ernesto Alterio , Carmelo Gómez , Adriana Ozores and Natalia Verbeke ; especial mention to Eduardo Noriega and Najwa Nimri .

Thought-provoking as well as interesting screenplay by Mateo Gil . Mateo is a notorious screenwriter , he wrote various films for Amenabar as ¨Agora¨ , ¨Mar Adentro¨ , ¨Abre Los Ojos¨ and ¨Tesis¨ . He has only directed ¨Nobody knows anybody¨ or ¨Nadie Conoce Nadie¨ and recently a Western titled ¨Blackthorn¨ . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Marcelo Piñeyro . He was born in 1953 in Buenos Aires, Argentina . Marcelo usually works with his fetish actor , Leonardo Sbaraglia . Piñeyro is a director and writer, especially known for Plata Quemada (2000) and Kamchatka (2002) and , of course , El Método or the Method (2005) . Marcelo has directed the following films -being most of them dramas and thrillers- : 2009 La Viudas de Jueves , 2003 Kamchatka , 2000 Plata Quemada or Burst money , 1997 Cenizas del Paraíso , 1995 Caballos Salvajes and 1993 Tango Feroz .

From the moment all the main characters are gathered inside the conference room, you know you're in for a rare treat. The first part plays out like a classic, Agatha Christie-like whodunit, where you know just as much as the rest of the characters, and are as qualified as they are to make your assumptions.

The rest of the movie is just as interactive. The method of restricting our point of view to that of the character's makes you as much a part of what's going on as they are. It almost feels like a reality TV show, where you get to be one of the judges.

From the get-go, the movie grips you. It doesn't waste any moment and delves straight into the drama. The actors all do such an excellent job that you can't take your eyes off the screen. The pacing is perfect - here is not a dull moment - and the film's structure is brilliant.

There is one particular recurring motif which first appears in the first few scenes - dividing the screen into thirds. See if you can find similar compositional arrangements in key moments and deduce their meaning. It is the kind of movie where every tiny element serves a purpose (symbollic or otherwise), and it will make you think. Don't get me wrong - you will enjoy the movie as pure entertainment. But those who wish to search for deeper meanings, commentary about human nature, subtle social critique etc. will be far from disappointed.

In my opinion, the movie was perfect in every way (reminding me of "12 Angry Men", one of my all time favorites). I can't urge you enough to go see it. It is one of the best movies of the year.

This movie tells us about a group of people that are gathered at the premises of a company in order to take part in a selection process for an executive job. Soon they will realise that they're not attending a conventional group-interview.

One of the assets of this movie is the cast, with a bunch of the best actors and actresses of the moment in Spain and Argentina. They had a good movie to show their talents, and they have done it. Particularly surprising was the acting of Eduard Fernández. Although with a good acting record, he was a complete unknown to me. However, his incarnation of the disgusting 'macho ibérico' was extremely realistic and natural. Ernesto Alterio shows us once more that he's able to convincingly play any role. One just have to compare his Antonio in 'Días de Fútbol' (Football Days) with the nervous Enrique of this movie. Outstanding, I think. On the other hand, I dislike Noriega and Verbeke.

The movie as a whole is developed coherently and in a dynamic line, it will catch your interest from the beginning. Only two negative points, however. Although I'm not a puritan at all, I think that the sex scenes were unnecessary. I also disliked the final sight of the street, I think it was completely exaggerated, but that's just a detail.

If you want to see a movie with the best special effects,explosions, gunfigths and other exciting sequences, you are in the wrong lounge. But if you like movies with interesting argument, funny dialogs and very good performances, without any doubt, you'll enjoy with this movie. The first called my attention was the very high quality casting of this film,probably five of ten best actors of Spain are in this movie (Javier Bardem was busy in other productions). The actors are impressive, specially Eduard Fernandez and Pablo echarri. The argument is very curious and it will captivate you from the beginning.Finally the director do a good job giving the film the right rhythm. topnotch!!!