GurlyIamBeach
Instant Favorite.
Pluskylang
Great Film overall
Portia Hilton
Blistering performances.
Philippa
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
rooprect
You might've noticed that many of the negative reviews begin with something like "I'm a huge fan of Parker Posey, but I didn't like this movie." That can be expected because it's not a very typical role for Posey, and the film is nothing like the silly, fast-paced Christopher Guest comedies that earned her so many fans.With the DVD cover pumping up our expectations with quips like "Posey is hilarious in this!" it's hard not to be disappointed when you realize this is more of a drama than a comedy. True, she brings to the table the same lovable goofiness, as neurotic as Tina Fey on crack, but where it breaks from her typical roles is that her character "Susan" in this film can be a thoroughly reprehensible person, and this complex dichotomy forces us to take her character more seriously than her typical lovable nerd roles. Imagine a very lovable, innocent, quirky personality like, say, Sheldon on Big Bang Theory. But now make that character do some pretty rotten things like, say, kicking cute puppies. The love/hate dichotomy might freak you out. It will either scare off the Posey fans or draw them in with curiosity as it did me.If you remember the 80s sitcom Taxi and Danny Devito's odd character "Louie" the lovable scumbag who, if you were to meet in real life, wouldn't be worth the saliva to spit on him with, Posey gives us a similar feeling. Her character is the personification of everything that's wrong with corporate culture: sneaky, self-serving, without ethics, hypocritical and borderline depraved. Posey pulls it off brilliantly with her over-the-top quirkiness, and it may take you 30-45 minutes to figure out that she isn't really the "hero" of the story, she's more like a dark Mephisophelean force who is corrupting the good guy.Midway, the film takes a dark turn and after that we don't get many funny gags (or perhaps we do, but they suddenly aren't meant to be funny) because the story becomes tense. This challenging shift may lose some viewers, but it's ultimately what makes this a memorable film. Disguised as a quirky comedy, the film reveals itself to be an intimate look at the underbelly of human nature.There aren't many films I can compare this to, particularly not any blockbuster Hollywood productions. But if you've seen the Christina Ricci film "Pumpkin" (a satire about a snobby sorority chick who falls for a disabled kid), or the unknown gem "Great World of Sound" (a silly yet sobering flick about sleazy profiteers in the music industry), that'll give you an idea of what to expect in "Price Check". A more popular film I'm reminded of is "The Informant!" with Matt Damon playing a goofy character caught up in the dirty world of economic crimes (based on the true story of the Archer Daniels Midland price fixing scandal). None of these comedies will have you rolling with laughter, but perhaps better, they'll lead you on a whimsical tour of some heavy societal problems we face. One thing's for sure, if you like well-made, well-acted, oddball movies that defy categorization, "Price Check" is for you.
Lee Eisenberg
Parker Posey has been one of the queens of the indies for the past two decades, and she extends this with Michael Walker's "Price Check", in which she plays a no-nonsense woman who becomes boss of a company. However, it negatively affects the home life of one of the employees.Posey's character reminded me of her character in "The House of Yes": you grow to love them, but you'd probably be afraid to approach them. Eric Mabius's character starts out nothing like his character on "Ugly Betty", but becomes more like him. In the end, this is a movie that you truly have to appreciate: with limited resources, they made an infinitely better movie than anything that Michael Bay's ever made (as can be expected with indies). I recommend it.
tipdiptip
I saw the movie on Netflix while browsing randomly and quite enjoyed it. Pete Cozy is a good guy who seems to have made some compromises around his career (really wanting to pursue music) but settles for an average job and then enters Susan his new boss and things change. The movie depicts very well how money can be seductive and change you; you can't help but feel bad for Pete in the beginning and perhaps even relate with him at many levels (esp if you have struggled in an industry where it really is tough get a break) and eventually settled for a regular 9 to 5. Parker Rosey is a delight as the ruthless new Boss. The transition of Pete and his wife, the change that money brings to them is interesting to watch. How i wish the movie would have ended with Pete pursuing a career in music leading a humble lifestyle but indeed it is sad how some of the external factors in our lives can shape our choices I thought it ended sadly :(
RetroJethro
One of my favorite 90's actresses and a prominent role for the music of my favorite 90's indie rock band (Luna) pretty much assured that I'd like this. But, sadly, while it had some slim comedic elements, Price Check is pretty much a lightweight drama about facing midlife when your life hasn't panned out as you expected. A driven career woman (Posey) who has forsaken other aspects of her life to reach the point where she's at in her profession meets a family man-boy (Mabius) who lost his dream job at an indie record label and now grinds it out working in a low paying job in supermarket marketing. Posey is his new boss. They form an alliance of sorts and some complications ensue. It's a watchable film, but it isn't funny, witty, cerebral, dramatic or heart-filled. It just kind of lays there, like a movie that really doesn't know what it wants to be.