Search - The Method (El Metodo) on DVD

"It's over"

Sebastian Fernandez | Tampa, Florida United States | 09/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Director Marcelo Piñeyro presents us with an interesting concept in this Spanish-Argentinean production. Seven candidates are summoned for a final round of interviews in a company that is looking to fill an executive position. These people soon find out that the method used by the prospective employer is not even close to being conventional. They are informed through release forms that they are going to participate in the Gronholm method of selection, but nobody is sure what this entails.

The seven candidates are taken to a room with a monitor and keyboard for each, and then the games begin! The process resembles many of the reality shows you can see on TV, with one candidate being eliminated in each round. In Trump's "The Apprentice" the person leaving gets the phrase "You're fired", in this case, the monitor shuts down and an electronic voice says "It's over". But even though the concept is not completely original, the personalities of the candidates, and the design of the process give this film enough elements to make it worthwhile.

The candidates are the key to this film. Julio is a lawyer and economist who seems to be overqualified for the position, but carries some baggage from the past. Ricardo is the first one to get annoyed by all the nonsense, like having to fill forms that they have filled before in the process. If you have ever had to fill forms in a doctor's office, that ask for duplicate information, you will certainly sympathize with him. Nieves is an attractive young woman who seems to know exactly what she wants, and she has met Carlos, who is another candidate, in her previous life. Carlos is a young economist who has as much drive as all the other candidates put together and who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Ana is an older woman, who has had a successful career in the music industry and is looking for the next challenge, in a world that is dominated by the young. Fernando is a typical macho that speaks his mind and does not like conniving individuals. Last but not least, we have Enrique, who is the one that is most interested in the actual method of selection and loves to be involved in this process. The only other character on the film is Montse, a secretary that is as creepy as they come, and alternates baffling smiles with serious looks that can pulverize rock.

The movie centers around the way in which the interview process affects the attitudes of the candidates. We can definitely see how from an initial desire to be accepted by the others, the individuals start shifting their actions and are dominated by greed. There are many twists along the way as to the rules by which the contestants are playing, which helps keep things entertaining. There are also many scenes in which the tension can be sliced with a knife. But this movie succeeds mainly due to the outstanding performances of a first rate cast. It is great to see Pablo Echarri once again in a leading role and taking that on with gusto. Also, Ernesto Alterio, the son of one of the best Argentinean actors of all time, Hector Alterio, shows us that some abilities can be acquired through genes. He portrays the nervous Enrique so convincingly, that at times you feel like grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him, to see if he will calm down.

On another note, I have seen many movies in Spanish that are ruined by the translation in the English subtitles. I am happy to say that this is not the case for this film, since we get an accurate translation that prevents those that do not speak Spanish from missing anything. Basically, this film is the complete package, and I wholeheartedly recommend it."

An amazing, disturbing kick in the stomach.

Movie Man | Washington, DC | 07/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film is a darkly humorous allegory about globalization and the spread of competitive American business culture and individualism. In a Madrid office tower, a group of applicants for a high-end corporate job are brought into a board room and told that they collectively will take part in weeding each other out so that only one person is left for the job. They are told that their meeting is part of a scientifically proven psychological selection process, and that someone in the room is a plant who is observing them engage in a series of games and role plays. Ostensibly civil, professional, and "business like," the applicants set about destroying each other's credibility while enhancing their respective individual positions.

I saw this last night at an AFI screening and am still mulling over it. There are great performances in what is essentially a filmed play. The camera work is fantastic, as it picks up glances and stares between the characters that forcefully communicate messages of "I can't believe you just did that do me," disappointment, contempt, love, etc. You laugh out-loud at times, but ultimately you are devastated by the recognizeable, frightening visciousness.

Although this film is an allegory, it would also be a great center-piece for a business school course on organizational behavior."

Fasten your Seatbelts!

June Bug | Planet Earth | 10/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A smart, intriguing film that has you constantly asking, what will happen next? This is by far the best Spanish movie I have ever watched. The characters develop quickly before your eyes as they dialogue before the next and final phase of their interview process.
The first surprise of the movie, is that the applicants are placed in the role of interviewer, they will be eliminating their competition and in the process selecting the companies new employee but they must do this in a manner that makes they look like the best choice. Then they learn that one of them is actually an employee of the company sent to observe them.
They must eliminate this person, but who is it?
As a Manager in a Fortune 100 company, I was shocked to learn that I had somehow missed the usage of the Gronholm Method, as I watched, I saw it was a twist to the stress interview. A format used to put the candidate in the most stressful circumstances possible and see if they can withstand the pressure. We later find out that the Human Resources people made up the term to intimidate the candidates.
The psychological potholes these people must navigate are varied yet slowly reveal their true motivations and character flaws to those with whom they are competing.
In the midst of watching each candidate create ways to make another competitor look bad, there are funny twists amidst the fracas.
It definitely had the "Wow Factor", holding true to the basic character of corporate backstabbing, this movie shows that one often sells their soul for a nice title and a healthy salary. At the end of the day, we wonder is it worth the cost?
This movie is a must see for those who like psychological dramas and a well-developed plot line.
A good movie to show teenagers, to prepare them on what they should expect in the "working" world."

Dog eats dog scenario in the rat race...

M. B. Alcat | Los Angeles, California | 09/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Gronholm method" (= "El método Gronholm") is probably one of the best movies in Spanish I have seen this year. This film is a loose adaptation of a successful Spanish play, and is directed by a talented Argentinian, Marcelo Piñeyro. What is more, it has an excellent cast that makes you believe that what you are seeing is actually happening, and in a sense, that can be true.

What do I mean by that? Well, the story is about seven candidates that want the same job in a very important multinational, and the things they are ready to do in order to get that job. To start with, they are more than ready to participate in "The Gronholm method", a method the Human Resources Department of the multinational uses in order to choose the best candidate, and that involves turning the candidates against each other. Doesn't something like that happen sometimes in real life? It hasn't happened to me, but...

I must say that at times it is difficult to watch how far some people are ready to go in order to achieve the first place in the rat race. All the same, it is impossible to deny that this is a provocative film that gives food for thought, with a good plot and some unexpected twists that you won't see coming. On the whole, the kind of film you are not likely to regret watching.

Belen Alcat"