Fueled by a sense of economic desperation that was all too familiar in 2008, The Promotion was my choice as best picture for that year. The wry comedy stars John C. Reilly and Seann William Scott as assistant managers at a grocery store who are vying for a new manager position, but it doesn’t really pit its two leads against each other as much as it lampoons the rat race within which they are trapped. These are two decent, average Joes clawing after the same moldy piece of cheese. Screenwriter Steve Conrad makes his directorial debut, smartly guiding his actors to underplay their roles (resulting in career performances for both).
