The Ax

"A jet-black social comedy marbled with delectably close-calls, [The Ax] puts the merciless world of downsizing, outsourcing and other capitalist trends on the chopping block... [It's] laugh-out-loud funny as Bruno juggles murder, parenting, couples counselling and an unnerving number of brushes with the law" - Variety Family man Bruno has been laid off from his job with a paper company after 15 years faithful service, a victim of profit-motivated 'efficiency' cuts. Watching a promo video for another company, he's convinced he could do a much better job than its boss, if only there was a vacancy. Still unemployed after two years, as money gets tighter and his patriarchal pride takes a battering, Bruno decides to act. In his determination to regain his rightful place in the paper manufacturing industry, he realises that should an appropriate job become available he'd have a far better chance if he could eliminate the other leading candidates. Literally. Directed by Costa-Gavras, Jose Garcia displays flawless comic timing in his nuanced performance as Bruno, a man driven to desperate acts by heartless social circumstances. --- D/S Costa-Gavras P Michele Ray , Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne S Jean-Claude Grumberg WS Studio Canal L French w/English subtitles TD 35mm/col/2004/125mins Costa-Gavras was born in Loutra-Iraias, Greece, in 1933. His films include [Lumiere & Company] (1995), [Mad City] (1997), [Amen] (2003).