The Promotion

R

Released Jun 6, 2008

1 hr. 26 min.

Comedy

List

55%

77 Reviews

Tomatometer

28%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Doug Stauber (Seann William Scott) holds the post of assistant manager at a Chicago supermarket that plans to open an additional store right in his own neighborhood. His boss (Fred Armisen) assures him that he is the top choice for managing the new location. This changes when the affable Canadian Richard Wehlner (John C. Reilly) joins the staff. To Doug's alarm, Richard has his eye on the same position -- and it's not long before the two colleagues erupt into all-out managerial warfare.

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Critics Consensus

With a workplace-related theme worthy of satire, The Promotion features some sharp witticisms but ultimately disappoints.

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Audience Member

I think I had my expectations set way too high for this movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/04/24

Full Review

Test T

Given the storyline, I was expecting a comedy, but sadly it's not. The tone of the movie is flat and serious which for me resulted in a rather dull experience. Frankly, the every day rivalries of the two supermarket employees are just not interesting enough to keep the viewer entertained when played straight. On the positive side, it does promote the virtues of fair play winning through adversity, but it is so melancholy you probably won't care about that.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

10/15/23

Full Review

Samir N

Horrible storyline and not horrible in a funny way.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/04/23

Full Review

Stephen C

LOL, 01 hours: and 26 minutes of humorous f**ked up sh*t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Mike J

Options to make your life easier and more importantly to the internet for the past few years you are not great as a parent of north family parent or your

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/28/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Almost didn't watch because of user ratings. Glad Ignored them.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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Steve Conrad

Director

Seann William Scott

Doug

John C. Reilly

Richard

Jenna Fischer

Jen

Lili Taylor

Laurie

Fred Armisen

Scott

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Wesley Morris

Boston Globe

Rated: 2/4

Nov 24, 2011

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Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 2/5

Nov 17, 2011

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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Rated: B

Oct 18, 2008

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

There's nothing overly spectacular about the film, a simple comedy about career-oriented rivalry, yet it has an odd way of succeeding at nearly every little joke it makes.

Rated: 7/10

Nov 28, 2020

Full Review

Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

A bit Alexander Payne social satire, a bit Mike Judge's "Office Space," "The Promotion" keeps the laughter mostly low-key while addressing deflating truths about occupational angst -writer/director Steve Conrad's sturdy thematic stock-in-trade.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 17, 2010

Full Review

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

Sort of a Dilbert riff, only lower on the food chain.

May 5, 2010

Full Review

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Synopsis

Doug Stauber (Seann William Scott) holds the post of assistant manager at a Chicago supermarket that plans to open an additional store right in his own neighborhood. His boss (Fred Armisen) assures him that he is the top choice for managing the new location. This changes when the affable Canadian Richard Wehlner (John C. Reilly) joins the staff. To Doug's alarm, Richard has his eye on the same position -- and it's not long before the two colleagues erupt into all-out managerial warfare.

Director: Steve Conrad
Executive Producer: Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein
Screenwriter: Steve Conrad
Distributor: Third Rail
Production Co: Dimension Films
Rating: R (Sexual References|Language|Some Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 6, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $406.3K

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