UNFINISHED BUSINESS
US, 2015, 90 minutes, Colour.
Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson, David Franco, Sienna Miller Britton Sear, Ella Anderson, Nick Frost, James Marsden, Ken Scott.
Directed by Ken Scott.
When Vince Vaughan’s name appears above titles, we can usually expect a comedy, a touch of the serious, some crass moments, some sentiment. And they are all here in Unfinished Business.
Also above the titles are the names of Tom Wilkinson and David Franco. They are part of the unfinished business in the revelation of how difficult it is in a competitive world to reach a deal and cement it with the handshake.
But the unfinished business of the title while relating to the world of business also refers to the business of family problems. Vince Vaughn’s Dan, a family man, a bit too self-sufficient which tangles him with his competition in the office, Chuck, played by Sienna Miller as a hardball player with a masculine name. Dan goes out on his own, taking on Tim (Tom Wilkinson) who is being retrenched because he’s 67 and Mike (David Franco) who has gone for an interview taking a business box to make a good impression.
On the business side, the trio have to travel to Portland, Maine, and find that they have been undercut by Chuck with the smooth and sleazy boss, Jim (James Marsden). There is a chance that they might be able to redeem the deal by travelling to Berlin to see the overall corporate boss. This means that a lot of the action takes place in Germany, plenty of vistas of Berlin, but there is Chuck once again, manoeuvring.
When all seems lost, the three go out on the town. Accommodation in Berlin is all occupied except for some corridors for Jim and Mike and the show-display apartment, with tourists passing by, looking in commenting, for Dan. It is Berlin in October and so an Oktoberfest, beer galore, but it is also time for a gay festival – and the film detours for rather longer than necessary here, alcohol, ecstasy, gay bar toilets, the crass component of the film.
We wouldn’t be watching the film unless we hoped (and knew) that it had a happy ending – but the drama is in how the happy ending is reached.
On the home level, Dan keeps in touch with his wife and children by Skype, regularly talking to his son who is being bullied at school and his little daughter who has punched someone out in defence of her brother. He has a loving and long-suffering wife.
Tom Wilkinson, who seems to appear in many films a year these days, has a world weariness in his role as the ageing businessman, not really loving his wife and wanting a divorce, but wanting a loving and sexual relationship (which is suddenly parachuted in the end). Dave Franco (with more smiles and grins than his older brother, James Franco) is a naive young man who lives in a special community, is often gauche and awkward but, it seems, something of a whizz at figures.
While there is the crass, there are some positives about the reality of the world of business and focus on a loving family home despite all the problems.
The film was directed by Ken Scott who made a film about a prolific sperm donor, Starbuck, which was remade in Hollywood as Delivery Man, starring Vince Vaughan.
1. The title, regarding business, regarding family problems?
2. St Louis, the city, homes, offices, business? The musical score?
3. Contrast with Germany, Berlin, the autobahn, the vistas of the city, offices, the art apartments?
4. The three strands: business, family, nightlife and their interconnection?
5. Dan, Vince Vaughn and his style, the initial confrontation with Chuck, the argument, his leaving? Tim and Mike going with him? One year later, packing, the trip, the company and the prospect of deals, the handshake?
6. Problems at home, Dan and his going into Paul’s room, the talk about sex, the real issue of bullying, the pictures on Facebook, his arrest, getting the eyeliners, the reasons? Dan later buying the shade and wearing it, his son seeing him on Skype? The daughter, homework about her father, punching the bully, the images on Skype? Her motivation for the punching? The end and her comment on how good fathers drive when other people are tired?
7. The trip to Portland, Dan upgraded, giving his seat for the veteran, preparing the meeting, jogging and his wife’s tights, Chuck and Jim and their mockery? Bill and his sympathy? The presentation, Mike saying his name, Pancake? Dan collapsing? Jim and his attitudes, Dan’s company losing the deal? The background of companies who are in competition? The visit to Portland, the sexy maid, Tim and the mistake, the ordinary maid in his room – and the later communication and going off to a new life?
8. Berlin, hopes, the trip to Hamburg, consulting the woman in the spa, nudity, Americans and prudishness, Dan stripping, Tim and Mike and their curiosity? Hurrying back to Berlin, the stag on the road, the crash, hurrying, only finding that the meeting was pushed to another day? Issues of accommodation? The night on the town, the beer festival, the gay celebration, the dancing, the toilets and the glory holes? Bill, Tim, ecstasy, dancing, the morning after?
9. Tim, his age, being sacked, wanting a divorce, his sexual desires, his wife, supporting Dan, the trips, the sexy maid in Portland? In Berlin, the ecstasy, the dancing?
10. Mike, naive, simple, boarding with his three friends, yet clever? His wanting some explurts? Awkwardness and his name? His manner, the stag on the road, his curiosity about wheelbarrow positions, experiments and the girls, his return home, his friends?
11. Dan and the decision to run the marathon and being supported by fans who saw him in the display room?
12. Jim, business deals, harsh, double-dealing? Link with Chuch? Using Bill as a servant? Bill and his sympathies, especially after his being found in the gay bar?
13. The boss, Bill getting the interview, the explanations, the good figures, the boss starting with four, offering the handshake – and the three seeing Chuck and doing the triumphal dance?
14. Dan’s wife, at home, love, ordinary, the children and the problems, phone calls on Skype? Arriving home, the kids, Dan and his talking to them while away, always a loving father?
15. The happy ending, for the family, the business?
