The Company Men is a 2010 American drama film , written and directed by John Wells . It features Ben Affleck , Kevin Costner , Chris Cooper and Tommy Lee Jones .
47-585: It premiered at the 26th Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2010 and had a one-week run in December ;10, 2010 to be eligible for the year's Academy Awards . The movie was released commercially in the United States and Canada on January 21, 2011. When the publicly held shipbuilding corporation Global Transportation Systems, or GTX, is downsized in the midst of the recession , many employees are fired, including Bobby Walker. Walker
94-627: A Better World , Inside Job , The Lost Thing , Strangers No More , and The Wolfman with one. The telecast garnered almost 38 million viewers in the United States. The nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards were announced on January 25, 2011, at 5:38 a.m. PST at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California by Tom Sherak , president of the Academy, and actress Mo'Nique . The King's Speech led
141-631: A ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Marisa Tomei . The King's Speech won four awards, including Best Picture . Other winners included Inception with four awards, The Social Network with three, Alice in Wonderland , The Fighter , and Toy Story 3 with two, and Black Swan , God of Love , In
188-436: A deer-in-the-headlights manner and read his lines robotically." He went on to praise the winners of the night, but he ended his review with the words, "Dead. In. The. Water." Writer David Wild called it "the world's most uncomfortable blind date between the cool rocker stoner kid and the adorable theater camp cheerleader." Television critic Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter commented, "In what could go down as one of
235-473: A minimal release in Los Angeles and New York City on December 10, 2010. The release lasted a week to become eligible for nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards . It had a limited release in 106 theaters in the United States and Canada on January 21, 2011. The Company Men has received generally positive reviews. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 67% of critics have given
282-549: A most memorable Oscar show." Although the prior ceremony hosted by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin had the highest ratings in five years, their combined age was 116 years and the producers wanted to focus on a younger demographic. The unofficial first choice was Justin Timberlake but he declined, feeling it was at least a year too early for him. Opting for younger faces for the ceremony, Cohen and Mischer hired actor James Franco and actress Anne Hathaway as co-hosts of
329-415: Is a white-collar , corporate ladder-climbing employee with a six-figure salary, a wife, and a teenage son and younger daughter. Walker gets outplacement services from GTX but, without success, gradually loses luxuries such as his country club membership and his Porsche . He finally resorts to selling his expensive house (with a large mortgage) and moves his family in with his parents. Ultimately, Walker
376-441: Is also his mistress, rehire Woodward immediately, she tells him that he, too, is being fired. He soon leaves his wife and moves in with Sally. Woodward's life quickly falls apart as employer after employer tells him he is either too old to start a new career, or too old to do jobs that those half his age find difficult. At his wife's request, Woodward goes out every morning as usual with his briefcase to keep his situation secret from
423-452: Is forced to take a manual labor job working for his blue-collar brother-in-law, Jack Dolan, renovating a home. Executive Vice President Gene McClary challenges GTX CEO James Salinger and his strategy of employee cutbacks, questioning the ethics of spending money to build new corporate headquarters while laying off employees. Angry at being questioned by McClary, his longtime friend, college roommate, and first employee, Salinger asserts that
470-627: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2010 in the United States and took place on February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST (8:30 p.m. EST ). During the ceremony, Academy Awards (commonly called the Oscars) were presented in 24 competitive categories. The ceremony was televised in
517-465: The Emmy Awards , but were determined to avoid becoming morning show fodder like Ricky Gervais was after this year's Golden Globes . The result was a show that moved along, with a few draggy bits and high notes, like precisely what it was: a very long and fancy awards show." Her review further said "Overall, the evening had an oddly business-like feel, a mind-numbing evenness that was exacerbated by
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#1732773335714564-514: The 15 nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards that came from 9 films from the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Winter's Bone , which won the Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, was nominated for 4 Oscars: Best Picture, Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress, John Hawkes as Best Supporting Actor, and Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini for Best Adapted Screenplay. The Kids Are All Right , which screened in
611-494: The 2009 film Up in the Air and praised the performances from Affleck, Jones and Cooper. Chicago Tribune ' s Michael Phillips praised the cast, but criticized the story, saying that the actual status of the economic climate "demands a tougher, gutsier script." The film was named one of the best films of 2010 by David Denby of The New Yorker . 26th Sundance Film Festival The 26th annual Sundance Film Festival
658-489: The 2011 ceremony. "James Franco and Anne Hathaway personify the next generation of Hollywood icons — fresh, exciting and multi-talented. We hope to create an Oscar broadcast that will both showcase their incredible talents and entertain the world on February 27," said Cohen and Mischer regarding their selections to host the gala. "We are completely thrilled that James and Anne will be joining forces with our brilliant creative team to do just that." Franco and Hathaway became
705-542: The AMPAS hired Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen and veteran television producer Don Mischer to oversee production of the telecast. "I'm absolutely ecstatic that Bruce and Don have accepted my invitation to produce and direct the 83rd Academy Awards telecast," remarked Academy president Tom Sherak . "Their work in producing the Academy's inaugural Governors Awards was exceptional and I am confident they will bring their creative vision and extraordinary talent to produce/direct
752-669: The Best Picture nominees with $ 414.9 million in domestic box office receipts. The only other top ten box office hit to receive a nomination was Inception which earned $ 292.5 million. Among the remaining eight nominees, True Grit was the next-highest-grossing film with $ 137.9 million followed by The Social Network ($ 95.4 million), Black Swan ($ 83.2 million), The Fighter ($ 72.6 million), The King's Speech ($ 57.3 million), The Kids Are All Right ($ 20.8 million), 127 Hours ($ 11.2 million), and finally Winter's Bone ($ 6.2 million). Of
799-572: The Boston suburbs of Burlington , Wellesley , Framingham , Marblehead , and the Quincy shipyard . The Company Men had its world premiere at the 26th Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2010. The film was purchased by The Weinstein Company , which committed to print and advertising commitment and a theatrical release in the United States and Canada in a mid-seven figure deal. The film had
846-484: The Deathly Hallows ;— Part 1 (6th), Tangled (10th), Tron: Legacy (12th), Salt (21st), and Unstoppable (39th). The show received a negative reception from most media publications. According to writer Bruce Vilanch , the crowd enjoyed the starting short film, but when Franco and Hathaway came on stage, it shifted. According to Rubin, Hathaway "was embracing their arrival on stage" while Franco
893-557: The Premieres category, was nominated for 4 Oscars: Best Picture, Annette Bening for Best Actress, Mark Ruffalo for Best Supporting Actor, and Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg for Best Original Screenplay. Blue Valentine , which screened in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Michelle Williams for Best Actress. Animal Kingdom , which won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic,
940-474: The United States by ABC , and produced by Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer , with Mischer also serving as director. Actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway co-hosted the ceremony, marking the first time for each. In related events, the Academy held its second annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 13, 2010. On February 12, 2011, in
987-609: The World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Best Documentary Feature. Madagascar, a Journey Diary , which screened in the short film competition, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Best Animated Short Film. Harris also noted the Sundance past of Oscar nominees Inception director Christopher Nolan and The Fighter director David O. Russell. 83rd Academy Awards The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by
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#17327733357141034-492: The ceremony. Production designer Steve Bass built a new stage design for the ceremony. Entertainment Weekly columnist and TV personality Dave Karger greeted guests entering the red carpet. Designer Marc Friedland designed a new envelope heralding the winner of each category made from a high-gloss iridescent metallic gold paper stock, with red-lacquered lining that featured the Oscar statuette stamped in satin gold leaf. During
1081-449: The deep cuts are necessary to increase profits, to increase the stock price and discourage a rumored hostile takeover of the company. Later, it is determined that an additional round of lay-offs is necessary. Senior manager Phil Woodward, who, over the course of 30 years, had risen from the factory floor to the corporate offices (a decidedly rare accomplishment), is also fired. When McClary demands that senior HR manager Sally Wilcox, who
1128-499: The film a positive review based on 162 reviews, with an average score of 6.4/10. The website's consensus reads, "It might be hard for most viewers to identify with The Company Men' s well-heeled protagonists, but writer/director John Wells uses their plight to make universally resonant points — and gets the most out of his excellent cast." On Metacritic , the film achieved an average score of 69 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Many critics praised
1175-403: The film for telling a story that reflects the economic climate of the United States in the first decade of the 2000s. Rex Reed of The New York Observer stated the film "does a piercing job of making you feel the dehumanizing effects that losing a job can have on grown men, but it's more truthful and devastating than that." Stephen Holden of The New York Times also notes parallels between
1222-542: The first film since 1986's Hannah and Her Sisters to win both supporting acting categories. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface , and indicated with a double-dagger (‡). The Academy held its Second Annual Governors Awards ceremony on November 13, 2010, during which the following awards were presented. The following 14 films received multiple nominations: The following six films received multiple awards: The following individuals presented awards or performed musical numbers. In June 2010,
1269-416: The first male-female duo to co-host the awards show since comedian Jerry Lewis and actress Celeste Holm presided over the 29th ceremony in 1957. At age 28, Hathaway was also the youngest person to host an Oscar ceremony. Furthermore, AMPAS announced that this year's ceremony was "the most interactive awards show in history". The Academy revamped their official website oscar.com to include lists of all
1316-542: The first person since Paul Hogan , who was a co-host and a Best Original Screenplay nominee during the 59th ceremony in 1987, to host the ceremony while receiving a nomination in the same year. He was also the first acting nominee since Michael Caine at the 45th ceremony in 1973 to achieve this distinction. With Christian Bale and Melissa Leo 's respective wins in the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories, The Fighter became
1363-415: The hosts, she quipped that Hathaway "at least tried", but she remarked, "Franco seemed half asleep, or possibly stoned." Some media outlets received the broadcast more positively. Entertainment Weekly television critic Ken Tucker stated that the show was "Funny, poised, relaxed, and smart, Anne Hathaway and James Franco made for marvelous Oscar hosts. Their combination of respect and informality struck
1410-539: The month of preparation. Franco on the other hand was busy shooting movies, while teaching a class and getting both his masters and his PhD. When filming started, Hathaway was focused and determined while Franco was more laid back, causing friction. In the closing weeks, Franco went back to Apatow who hired four additional writers; in response, Hathaway brought in Liz Feldman . This resulted last-minute scrambling. According to Amram, "[a] lot of stuff that made it into
1457-481: The need for a change, he starts his own business in maritime shipbuilding, the previous specialty of GTX. Walker is the first person he hires. Walker arrives at the bare offices to help start a new business composed of many former GTX employees. The Company Men is directed by John Wells in his feature film debut. He also wrote the screenplay and produced the film. The project was first announced in January 2008 by
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1504-483: The neighbors, but he cannot do anything to abate his mounting bills or his daughter's impending college tuition bill. Frustrated and depressed, he commits suicide in his garage by carbon-monoxide poisoning. Despite McClary's anger, he has become even wealthier as a shareholder of the firm because the value of his GTX stock options has increased due to the company's downsizing. Yet he feels guilty about his company ruining so many lives and wants to put people to work. Feeling
1551-613: The newly formed production company Berk/Lane Entertainment. In September 2008, actor Ben Affleck joined the cast. By March 2009, actors Kevin Costner and Tommy Lee Jones joined the cast. Production began the following month, April 2009, in Boston , Massachusetts . It was completed in June 2009. Partial filming for the production occurred in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston and also in
1598-424: The nominations with twelve, followed by True Grit with ten. The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on February 27, 2011. Toy Story 3 became the third animated film to be nominated for Best Picture . True Grit was the second film after 2002's Gangs of New York to lose all ten of its nominations. By virtue of his nomination for Best Actor in 127 Hours , host James Franco became
1645-485: The nominees and winners, as well as film trailers and exclusive video content produced by both AMPAS and Oscar telecaster ABC. Also, via the Academy's Twitter and Facebook pages, people could post questions for any actor or celebrity attending the festivities to answer. One of the four Oscar pre-show co-hosts would then pose selected questions to both nominees and attendees alike. For a fee of US$ 4.99, users had online access to two dozen video streams that would take them from
1692-470: The previous year. The combined gross of the ten Best Picture nominees when the Oscars were announced was $ 1.2 billion, the second-highest ever behind 2009. The average gross was $ 119.3 million. Two of the ten Best Picture nominees were among the top ten releases in box office during the nominations. At the time of the announcement of nominations on January 25, Toy Story 3 was the highest-grossing film among
1739-461: The red carpet, through the ceremony and on to the post-telecast Governors Ball. Several of the cameras utilized 360-degree views that viewers could direct. Several other people participated in the production of the ceremony. For a younger writer, France consulted Judd Apatow , who suggested Jordan Rubin who brought in Megan Amram . William Ross served as musical director and conductor for
1786-434: The relentless predictability of the winners, and the fact that none of the acting winners were played off no matter how long their "thank-yous" went." The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 37.9 million people over its length, which was a 9% decrease from the previous year's ceremony. An estimated 71.3 million total viewers watched all or part of the awards. The show also drew lower Nielsen ratings compared to
1833-492: The right tone for the night, a happily surprising production that had its share of fine moments both planned and ad-libbed." On the overall aspect of the ceremony, they concluded "all in all, it was a fun, briskly paced night." Mary McNamara from the Los Angeles Times commented, "The two seemed to be following the directive to "first do no harm," as if they knew they couldn't score as big as Jimmy Fallon did with
1880-469: The run-up to the ceremony, television personality Chris Harrison hosted "Road to the Oscars", a weekly behind-the-scenes video blog. Ben Mankiewicz hosted the official ABC pre-show, giving professional betting odds for the winners. PS22 Chorus children's choir performed " Over the Rainbow " from The Wizard of Oz at the end of the ceremony. According to Rubin, Hathaway was heavily involved during
1927-502: The show was written a few days beforehand." Franco immediately left after the show ended, catching a flight to make a morning seminar on medieval manuscripts at Yale . For the second consecutive year, the field of major nominees included at least one blockbuster at the American and Canadian box offices. However, only three of the nominees had grossed over $ 100 million before the nominations were announced, compared with five from
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1974-554: The top 50 grossing movies of the year, 55 nominations went to 15 films on the list. Only Toy Story 3 (1st), Inception (5th), How to Train Your Dragon (9th), True Grit (17th), The Social Network (29th), The Town (32nd), Black Swan (38th), and The Fighter (45th) were nominated for directing, acting, screenwriting, Best Picture or Animated Feature. The other top-50 box office hits that earned nominations were Alice in Wonderland (2nd), Iron Man 2 (3rd), Harry Potter and
2021-463: The two previous ceremonies, with 21.2% of households watching over a 33 share. In addition, the program scored an 11.8 rating over a 30 share among the 18–49 demographic, which was a 12 percent decrease over last year's demographic numbers. The In Memoriam tribute, which featured Celine Dion performing the Charlie Chaplin song " Smile ", paid tribute to the following individuals. At
2068-541: The worst Oscar telecasts in history, a bad and risky idea — letting two actors host — played out in spectacularly unwatchable fashion on the biggest of all nights for the film world." He also added, "These Oscars were a bore-fest that seemed to drag on relentlessly but listlessly." Gail Pennington of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote that the ceremony "felt a little like a bad night on Saturday Night Live — awkward, slow and not particularly entertaining." Regarding
2115-496: Was filming the crowd on his phone. Mara Reinstein of The Ringer said there was no single moment of failure but described the broadcast as "death by a thousand paper cuts." Film critic Roger Ebert said, "Despite the many worthy nominated films, the Oscarcast was painfully dull, slow, witless, and hosted by the ill-matched James Franco and Anne Hathaway. She might have made a delightful foil for another partner, but Franco had
2162-622: Was held from January 21, 2010, until January 31, 2010, in Park City , Utah. After the nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards were announced, Peter Knegt of indieWire wrote "As made evident last week, the Sundance Film Festival can be a significant launching pad for Oscar nominees." Knegt noted how 2 of the 10 Best Picture nominees, 3 of the 5 Best Actress nominees, and 4 of the 5 Best Documentary nominees were Sundance films. In January 2011, Dana Harris of indieWire noted
2209-603: Was nominated for 1 Oscar: Jacki Weaver for Best Supporting Actress. Exit Through the Gift Shop , which screened in the U.S. Documentary Competition, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Best Documentary Feature. Gasland , which won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Prize, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Best Documentary Feature. Restrepo , which won the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, was nominated for 1 Oscar: Best Documentary Feature. Waste Land , which won
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