Father and son bond in Human Resources

The factory is having labor problems, though. Management is seeking to reduce costs by pushing a 30-hour work week which would, in essence, force workers to do more work in less time. The union, led by Mrs. Arnoux (Danielle Melador), believes the plan is the first step in laying off employees. She gets into bitter battles with the chief executive who takes Frank under his wing. Witnessing the strife, Frank comes up with an idea: he wants to have all the workers fill out a questionnaire stating their wishes. The idea is put into motion, but Frank later discovers that management is, in fact, using it as justification to lay off workers. One of those set to be laid off is Frank's father. Enraged, Frank switches allegiances, siding with the union to organize a strike.

Human Resources is interesting in the way it presents the struggle between management and labor. Although it ultimately comes down on the side of labor, the film doesn't turn management into generic bad guys. One effective scene finds the chief executive telling Frank that he, too, will have to lay off workers if he gets into the upper echelon of the company. One of the pitfalls of being a manager is that you sometimes have to do things that make people hate you.

Even better is the relationship between Frank and his father. The elder gentleman (his name is never revealed) is thrilled that his son is able to rise to a higher position. Even when his own job security is shaken, he believes Frank should stay out of it. In this family, Frank's opportunity for success is viewed as more important than Father's job. There is a lot of interplay between father and son, as they grapple with issues of pride. Frank feels his father should fight more for his own pride, whereas Father believes his son should be more selfish in enjoying his own pride. My suspicion is that a lot of viewers will see themselves in these characters. Like many parents, Father sacrificed so that his child could get an education. Frank's switching of sides feels like a betrayal.

Human Resources was directed by Laurent Cantet. Although it is set in another country where the characters speak a different language, the themes easily translate into our own culture and language. The performances are first-rate, as is the screenplay, which digs deep into the issues. Human Resources is not just a compelling story about the struggle between labor and management, but also about the one between a father and a son.

( 1/2 out of four)

Human Resources is unrated but contains mature themes. The running time is 1 hour and 40 minutes.