Review: “Management” with Jennifer Anniston and Steve Zahn

Here’s the short review: Its a really good movie. It’s worth it, and you’ll enjoy it. Grade: A-

The off beat nature of the first 15 minutes will throw you. It threw me, and I stopped watching it on night one. It felt like it was going to devolve into something uncomfortable. But it didn’t. To the opposite: it really opened up and became something vary rare for a movie: entertaining and subtly moving. A serene palette with just the right punch of accents to keep an emotion, even if subtle, developing.

I like things that give you a sense of a continuum, especially a subtle continuum, that even as it builds in intensity, becomes quieter, calmer. That’s part of what’s special and worth seeing about “Management.”

It’s definitely not your typical Jennifer Anniston movie, which is probably one reason she chose it. Her acting is great in this. Mature. Subtle yet strong. Seamless with the feel of the movie and the story. Same for Steve Zahn. You know one reason I was reticent to chose this movie on my Netflix Instant Cue is that he didn’t appeal to me as an opposite to her. But he really was great. One really feels both these characters and believes them.

This is one of those movies that’s like a short story brought to screen. What I mean is the “filming literature” type like “Monster’s Ball” or the recent Matthew Broderick film “Wonderful World” but easier to watch than Monster’s (what isn’t?) and more satisfying than “Wonderful.”

Not for everyone, but for literature type geeks like me two thumbs up.