The Measure of a Man
Directed by Stéphane Brizé
Vincent Lindon gives his finest performance to date as unemployed everyman Thierry, who must submit to a series of quietly humiliating ordeals in his search for work. Futile retraining courses that lead to dead ends, interviews via Skype, an interview-coaching workshop critique of his self-presentation by fellow jobseekers; all are mechanisms that seek to break him down and strip him of identity and self-respect in the name of reengineering of a workforce fit for a neoliberal technocratic system. Nothing if not determinist, Stéphane Brizé film dispassionately monitors the progress of its stoic protagonist until at last he lands a job on the front line in the surveillance and control of his fellow man and finally faces one too many moral dilemmas. A powerful and deeply troubling vision of the realities of our new economic order.
Reviews
"Vincent Lindon's career-best performance is worthy of the Cannes prize he won for it." -Indiewire
"Gripping, intelligent, moving." -The Playlist
"A veritable masterclass in understated humanism." -Variety
"A sterling performance...French social critique at its finest." -The Atlantic
"Powerfully affecting." -Variety
"An impressive foray into social drama." -The Hollywood Reporter
"Marvelously controlled performance." -The Village Voice, Critic's Choice
“A welcome reminder that — for someone who can't afford to put food on the table or provide a proper education for their child— business is always personal. “ –Indiewire
“[A] sublimely affecting humanist drama.” –Film Journal International
Four stars. “Engrossing.” –RogerEbert.com
“A Kafkaesque French version of Ken Loach.” –The Globe and Mail
“Viewing is essential.” –The Star
“Inspiring.” –Paste Magazine
“The Measure Of A Man’s beating heart is Lindon’s performance, for which he deservedly won Best Actor at Cannes last year (and, earlier this year, the César in the same category).” –A.V. Club
Awards
Best Actor Winner, 2015 Cannes Film Festival
Best Actor Winner, 2016 Lumiere Awards
Best Actor Winner, 2016 Cesar Awards