augustdragon
Did you know you could get a double agent to confess merely by spending the day correcting his grammar? Neither did I, until I saw this movie.Douglas McGrath (who also co-wrote and co-directed) is Allen Quimp (yup, rhymes with "wimp"), a nerdy high-school grammar - and sometimes driver's ed - teacher in 1950's America. His over-achieving family think he's a loser and don't understand his all-consuming dream to rid the world of bad grammar. So, one day he tells his father-in-law a little white lie: he's really an agent with the CIA. Pretty soon the whole community knows, including a visiting Russian ballet star (Ryan Phillipe), who wants to defect- to Quimp! One thing leads to another, and the CIA ends up really recruiting Quimp and sending him to Cuba, where he roots out the double agent, becomes involved in several plots to assassinate (or at least humiliate) Castro, and becomes a DJ, playing songs that the CIA take as a coded request to invade the Bay of Pigs.Never quite "sidesplittingly funny," as the back of the box boasts, but mildly amusing and watchable, with the "mongoose in my shorts" bit being probably the funniest scene in the movie; coming in at a close second is Alan Cumming's rendition of "Diamonds Are a Boy's Best Friend" (don't ask!).Worth watching mainly for the performances. McGrath is likable as the clueless Quimp; Sigourney Weaver is perfect as Quimp's over-bearing and social-climbing wife. Alan Cumming doesn't seem to have much to do in his scenes, but makes the most of them, amusingly bringing to life his "I-can't-believe-this-guy-was-a-Cuban-dictator" character. John Turturro's character is easily the funniest - an agent who's gone a bit around-the-bend and become a raving lunatic bent on assassinating Fidel Castro- played by Anthony LaPaglia, who wins the "most unlikely casting" prize- which is not to say it wasn't a good choice! Amusing and likable, but never hilarious. This one goes somewhere in the grey area between C+ and B-. (Or two and a quarter stars out of four.)
nwliving
A snowstorm was coming. Anticipating a snowbound weekend I grabbed this and several other unfamiliar titles from the library shelf. I chose this one because I liked several of the cast members and it sounded like it had some promise. I was right - it had some promise. Unfortunately it never delivered more than a few moments. The uncredited Woody Allen may have demanded his name be removed. A few of his scenes were among those that delivered. Dennis Leary's scenes delivered most frequently and Alan Cumming hit the mark about half the time. I was so disappointed by John Turturro and Sigourney Weaver. Perhaps it is because they are so closely wrapped around the character played by Douglas McGrath. I don't know if it is the basic premise (english teacher with all consuming dream to rid the world of bad grammar turned CIA agent) or just his ability to deliver it. I suspect both. I grew annoyed with the premise and in between "comic facial expression here" he seemed to have a cardboard appearance.If we had been snowbound for a month we would not have watched this again. As I review Sigourney Weaver's and John Turturro's previous films, I know they can be SO much better but perhaps if you're in a dog you just have to act like one. I don't know why everyone associated with this film said yes. Were they that bored, broke, desperate, owed someone a favor, being blackmailed? The only person I can see who must have been happy was Douglas Mcgrath - having been given the starring role in a picture. I hope he enjoyed it because I doubt he will be given another.
Shazpop00
Douglas McGrath leads an all star cast in this film.The film is set in the early 60's. McGrath plays Alan Quimp, a grammar school teacher who makes up that he is in the CIA so that his wife will stop hassling him about getting another job. He then ends up helping a Russian ballet dancer defect from the Soviet Union and then is sent to Cuba to find "Agent X" who the CIA have been looking for for over 2 years. The story goes on from there when Agent X is found.This is a quirky, constant, light hearted film with some funny bits. I loved the fact that it has an all star cast. Woody Allen is very funny. Best to watch a second time to appreciate it more. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but I personally enjoyed it.7/10.
George Parker
"Company Man" conjures up a silly history lesson as it weaves a comedic story of the Castro Cuban coup vis-a-vis its central character (McGrath); an English teach turned CIA operative. A funny, surprisingly star-studded, and cleverly crafted little comedy romp with rampant nonsense, "CM" answers many questions such as where that thing on Gorbachev's head came from and why the Bay of Pigs invasion failed. Fun stuff for those into clever nonsense.
AD
