PRICE CHECK
US, 2012, 92 minutes, Colour.
Parker Posey, Erich Mabius, Annie Parisse, Finn Donoghue, Edward Herrman, Josh Pais.
Directed by Michael Walker.
Price Check is a drama set in the business world, at executive level, the running of the company, local managers, strategies, interactions with the managers of stores, competitiveness, renewal of effectiveness in the company.
The title could also referred to the central character, Peter Cozy (Eric Mabius) and his dissatisfaction with his career, his being offered a handsome promotion, his involvement in the work of strategies for stores, his interaction with the new manager, and affirmation of him, her seeming dependence, the sexual encounter with her, affair and her wanting to become pregnant, her letting him go after she realised he had not been entirely honest about his education. Definitely price check for him.
Parker Posey is very effective as the outgoing but introspective new manager, the dealings with the staff as a team, the dependence on particular people, especially Pete, and her having an affair with him, wanting a child.
The film moves between the office and scenes at home and Pete dealing with his loving wife and child and his behaviour at the office and his involvement in his work. Edward Herrman appears as the national director of the company.
The film was written and directed by Michael Walker who also wrote and directed the Jeff Daniels vehicle, Chasing Sleep.
1. A film about the world of business, marketing, sales? A film about interactions in an office? Ambitions, relationships, manipulation, the trials?
2. The title, the focus on the company, the board, the new manager, the style, getting the staff to work together after humiliating them, their dependence on her? Prices and sales in the supermarket? The price for success within the structure of the company?
3. The town, homes, schools, concerts? The office? The head office, meetings? A sense of the business world?
4. The focus on Pete Cozy, his story? His age, his past, the music business, not enjoying his work, further ambitions? His relationship with his wife, son, her pregnancy? His being singled out by Susan, her praise, relying on him? Coming to his home, the meal in the restaurant, her interest in his son, the concert, toys and playing with him? Her asking Pete’s advice about sacking? Her not following it? The reliance on him, the promise of a huge raise, the consequence for him and his mortgage, his wife’s support? His going to the national meeting, making good impression on the head? promise of further promotion? The plans, the strategies, interactions with the team, working on the strategies, some wanting to give up, his pushing forward? His relationship with Susan, the sexual encounter, his dependence on her, her wanting to get pregnant? The visit of the head, showing him round the office? Susan discovering the truth about his resume, his not being honest about his education and its not being completed, Susan dismissing him? His return home, with his wife, her knowing the truth?
5. Susan, her personality, arrival, outgoing, meeting the group, teamwork, her commenting on their limitations, sacking a man on principle? The reliance on Pete, the meal, the home, relating to his son? The advance in salary? Going to head office? Her own ambitions, manipulation, moods? The sexual encounter with Pete, wanting to become pregnant? Pressing ahead with the strategies? The demands? Pete and his education, letting him go?
6. The people in the office, in themselves, their interactions, the dowdy woman accused of being fat, yet her enthusiasm for Susan? The others in their plans, sexual innuendo? Feeling the work was too much, the woman urging them ahead?
7. Pete’s wife, at home, her parents, the dependence for finance? The son, the performance? Her love for Pete, realising that he had had an affair?
8. Pete trying to get another job, his meeting with the musician, the job being filled, calling on favours, not succeeding?
9. The passing of the year, the birth of the child, everything seeming normal, at the supermarket, meeting Susan and her husband, her having a child?
10. His wife and the children, going out, his staying at home on pretence of work, his return, wanting to see Susan, to find out who was the father of her child? Renewing the relationship or not? The end as open-ended and audiences supplying their speculations?
