Mjeteconer Just perfect...

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

elshikh4 Last week, my computer had such a horrible virus named Win 32. It destroyed the system, the programs' sources, and some folders. I was in a big disaster; especially when that virus kept returning, whatever how many times I installed a new Windows !This week, I watched (The Promotion), and loved many elements of it. For instance director (Steve Conrad) did a lovely job. He led his actors correctly, and created such a tender sense. This is (Sean William Scott) birth certificate as a mature actor after an age of countless teen, stoner, or dirty anyway comedies (sometimes it was hard to believe that he's the same guy !). (John C. Reilly) is a treat in any movie he does. The soundtrack was really enjoyable, with an ear for the drama. However I felt that something was wrong, deeply wrong, concerning that very drama.The basis of any drama is its conflict. If the conflict of it is strong then the drama is strong, and vice versa. Here, it's the "vice versa" case. Because the conflict between the 2 leading characters was so weak. Rather, it's where the movie's poster has more conflict than the movie itself !(Scott)'s character isn't so wily, in fact he's deep down inside a kind, if not aggrieved, person. So his plans to fight his opponent were between rare, light, and nonexistent, plus he sympathized with his opponent a bit early. (Reilly)'s character was a sack of tears since the start, transforming from weak to weaker as time went by. Therefore he represented the worst opponent a conflict could have had, since he didn't fight back, or fight in the first place !What added more fuel was that the movie forgot to make some effective comedy in the mix. The 2 characters' clashes, if there was any, didn't produce laughs. It only immersed in the "cheese" and "apple" misunderstood jokes ! The script perfects many side characters (the fat employee who eats and drinks all the store's exhibits, the garage's black gang, the gay neighbor who loves music, .. etc). But without exploring them dramatically, exploding proper laughs out of them, or putting appropriate ends for them. Obviously, every character in this movie is enjoyable aside, however in the script's conflict it isn't that active or interactive well. You can say that again about the idea of competition, for a promotion or else, which this movie choose but didn't utilize thrillingly. Frankly, what could be worse than watching a movie while knowing pretty well its end since the start, and not enjoying much during that too ?! I loved the speech of "I'm peanuts", along with the final surprise around (Scott)'s character as an old gymnastics champion. Those were by far the script's "achieved" positive points. Ahh, it seems to be that director (Steve Conrad) remembered everything, and – as the movie's writer – forgot the script !(The Promotion) is a delicate movie, but cold as a drama or comedy. Despite having some potentials, the script lost or misused them along the way, seeming as a preparatory writing for a good movie that didn't complete. Well, I think it's easy to understand by now that not tightening, or caring about, the conflict in the drama is the worst Win 32 ever !

witster18 As a fan of both Sean William Scott and John C. Reilly, I started this film with excitement. The film started what appeared to be a comedy with the usual plot and suspects... then it decided to take another direction.This was a mistake.They've really wasted the talent of the leads here. Scott is pretty good but Reilly's character is dull and boring and the film takes on those characteristics as well. Instead of another 'step-brother's' feud we end up with a forgettable film that has some laughs, but ultimately fizzles into a meaningless, near-humorless mess, void of both plot and personality. Looking back I think I laughed hard once... but 24 hours later I can't even remember the scene.... if that says anything.Could be destined for the worst of 2009 list..Extremely disappointed and amazed at ANY rating higher than 5... and that would be generous.27/100 1.5/5stars 3/10You MIGHT like it if you liked:Career Opportunities, Joe Vs. The Volcano, Outsourced, Election, and Cyrus.

ido50 I went into The Promotion hoping for a nice comedy to pass the evening, seeing as, after all, it was Sean Williams Scott and this John Reilly fella. But don't let yourself be fooled, this is not even near a comedy.The Promotion is a by-the-book drama film disguised as a comedy. The default story about a guy competing for his dream job with a probably more qualified, more experienced, more successfully rival. The story is so boring that even the actors themselves seem bored by it.Not that it's that bad, it's watchable, but in the end, there's nothing to it. Don't expect any laughs, you probably won't find them here.

jhusk13 This movie was absolutely awful...I can't even think of an articulate way to describe this movie; which could detract credibility from my remarks. This movie isn't worthy of a thoughtful summary. It's a pile of trash. Apologies to those who find that judgement too harsh, you're wrong, there is no silver lining in this black cloud. Here's why: After viewing "Mr. Woodcock," it became abundantly clear to me that Seann William Scott will doesn't read scripts, he just accepts the work. He's not steve stiffler anymore, as bad as he want to be. To appeal to a greater demographic (than that of American pie) he seriously needs to find roles where he actually does some acting. His character in this movie is terribly frustrating to watch. The dialog he has with everyone else in the movie feels awkward and forced at best. Mr. John C Reiley has made a name for himself through such drama filled gems as "walk hard" and "talladega knights." It's good to see The Promotion allow him to evolve and branch out into such a complex character. A marijuana addicted French Canadian with a daughter and a Scottish wife....ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!? What a horrible character. That whole scene about "cracking the cheese" just about caused me to throw a large stone through my beautiful, large television. I like stupid movies, Harold and Kumar (both of them) are two of my favorite movies of all time. I can appreciate a good stoner character. God forbid the actors/actresses in this movie make the slightest effort to provide any humanistic qualities or emotions in their roles, and actually make you identify and relate to them.acting was god-awful, writing was even worse, there is no cinematography to speak of, etc.P.S. Lili Taylor (she's amazing in 'six feet under') with an F-ING Scottish ACCENT?!?!?!? WHY!?!?! Just employ a freaking Scottish actress!! Why oh Why do production companies greenlight projects like these? The story is nothing but childish feuding, and would best be served as a failed pilot for a NBC sitcom...