blanche-2 "Company Man" is a 2000 film starring Douglas McGrath (who co-wrote and co-directed), Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, Woody Allen, Ryan Phillipe, Anthony LaPaglia, and Alan Cumming - a terrific cast of wonderful talent.McGrath plays Alan Quimp, a 1960s high school teacher obsessed with correct grammar. His in-laws dismiss him as a moron, and as he's sitting in a steam room, his father-in-law screams at him to get a decent job. Alan tells him that he's with the CIA, but it's a secret. It doesn't stay one for long, thanks to his wife Daisy (Sigourney Weaver) who tells everyone. She even tells a visiting ballet dancer, Petrov (Phillippe) that her husband can help him, and while giving a driving lesson, Alan does just that, he helps Petrov defect.No one in his family believes he's CIA until a CIA man comes to the house. Taking Alan aside, he informs him it's illegal to impersonate a CIA officer. Upon learning that he helped Petrov, the CIA decides to send him somewhere out of the way. They send him to Cuba, where Castro (Anthony LaPaglia) is trying to oust Batista (Cumming). The head of their group (Allen) wants to leave, but he has to find the mole they're pretty sure is in the group first.Alan ferrets out the mole by driving him insane until he confesses just to get out. After that, he and a freedom fighter (Turturro) work on ways to assassinate Castro - LSD in the water, which Alan drinks, laced cigars (which a band smokes) and so on. Meanwhile, Daisy joins Alan and is all excited because she can write a book on Alan's dangerous operations.Some of this movie is incredibly silly, but it's quite funny, with excellent performances. Outstanding was Anthony LaPaglia as Castro - the man should be where Robert de Niro is, he's always excellent. Alan Cumming is Batista and he's a riot. Sigourney Weaver does a wonderful job as the frantic Daisy. Woody Allen is a scream as the clueless head of the CIA operation in Cuba.As funny as this film is, I would have loved to have seen this film in the hands of Woody Allen, though he's done this type of film before. I think under his direction, it would have been a tad better.This is a real comedy, not a dumbed down one filled with vulgarity. I recommend it.

Thulemanden An energetic and entertaining movie with some pretty original scenes although much of the plot is from real life.Weaver is doing a fine and wholehearted job trying to grab the main role, but the role is more suited for Goldie Hawn.Cumming is delivering a 100% effort as general Batista which also threatens to steal the main part.The role of Fidel Castro is also well performed.McGrath as office Quimp on the other hand is weakly covered, although I grant he can sing.Surprisingly the uncredited Woddy Allen appears but is more Woody Allen than being the role he covers. Woody is totally out of sync with the movie and does as he pleases apparently.The mission of the movie could be to criticize CIA's secret missions for the US and does a fine job of that.The problem with the movie seem to be the instruction alone.A promise of a follow-up, this time in Vietnam is made in the end.

Christopher Taylor (Yodelling Llama) In terms of the "quirky" feeling, intentionally haphazard plot, and amusing-yet-one-dimensional characters, I was reminded of some of Woody Allen's earlier work. And I love early Allen. In terms of the production value, the editing, and the strength of the direction, I was reminded of later Allen. I like later Allen, but it is not the pinnacle of filmmaking by any measure. Nevertheless, I fail to see how anyone would place Company Man on the lower end of scale. It is a very funny movie. It trips over itself at times, but there are some great ideas here, and I was pretty consistently laughing throughout. Perhaps people were turned off by the loose craft and high level of script/actor dependence--apart from the over-abundance of locations, this film might have worked better as a play--but I really enjoyed myself. 8/10.

mlevans Upon reading the description on the back of the video box, I immediately thought of the classic "The In-Laws" with Peter Faulk & Alan Arkin. Company Man turned out be more of an Austin Powers or Top Secret, instead. Perhaps it was not a cinematic masterpiece. It was fun to watch, though, and gave me several really good belly laughs -- such as the "real" secret behind Gorbichev's alleged birthmark! The plot is silly & "quirky," as some have noted, but it had a nice feel to it. Overall, I would call it a good little film.