The Mass of Men (2012) User Reviews

Meaning of the security camera scene

[fefe222 · 6/10 · 27 February 2019]

"The Mass of Men" is a short film about a jobless man who visits a job center for his appointment.

I was very surprised when I realized the first security camera scene plays a significant role in the film. At first, I did not recognize what was going on during the security camera scene, but later, I understood what it means. The camera caught the jobless man's selfish action. The film successfully conveyed what that means to audiences without conversation or dialogue, but only through visual storytelling.

The latter half of the film was very scary. I felt very painful when I watched another man comes into the scene and start to attack the office-working lady with his weapon. I suddenly started feeling sorry for her at that moment. I found it very interesting that I felt sorry for both characters, the jobless man and the office-working lady at the different points of the film.

I also think that the film is very real. This film shows the serious issue of unemployment. The suffering of the jobless man is real. He was not only jobless but also very hopeless, and it was very sad for me to realize this is really happening in our living world, and it is as bad as this film is.

Surprise and making the audience think

[m28l17d · 7/10 · 28 February 2019]

This short film starts with the record of the surveillance camera. It is a bit hard to catch what is going on there, but I can guess that some accident is there. People run from the building, and there is a man who looks like the main character. Then, the time is back before the accident, and the man is looking for his new job. In the UK, getting a job is so strict, and people have to prove how many hours they spend in a week to get a job. In addition to that, they cannot be late for the meeting. If they are late, the situation that they get the job will be harder. At that day, the man is late, but a woman who is working at the company doesn't notice that the man is late. The man is joking and says he is a bit late. They start a conversation about the man's new job, but the woman is harsh about the fact that the man is late. Their conversation is getting tense because the man is asked to sign on the document that the man is late for the meeting, which makes the man hard to work again. Suddenly, a man with a nail shot appears and shoots the woman with nails. The woman finds a nail on her chest with her blood. The man keeps shooting, and the company is in panic. Everyone runs away, but the man who is looking for a new job tries to delete the document and data that the man is late for the meeting. He is in the situation to make a big decision, save the woman or save his life, and he chooses to save himself by deleting the proof. However, the surveillance camera records all sequences. The short film gives some surprises, and it is a bit dark, but it is thrilling and tells the audience about the real situation for the job seeking in the UK.

Shocking

[momorytm · 6/10 · 25 February 2019]

A middle-aged, polite man is late for an appointment at the social welfare department. He argues over his lateness with a woman at the department until a tragedy happens. As I start watching this film, CCTV comes on. I cannot understand what is happening, just being a bystander. As a story goes on, I'm pulled into the situation where two characters are arguing. I start feeling sorry for a man and disliking a woman. At the same time, I know a bad thing is going to happen to her next because the CCTV scene, in the beginning, shows what happens at the department, but not in detail. So, when I eventually understand what actually happens to her in the end, I am so shocked. It is shocking visually, and the dull sound makes it even terrifies me. The scene was so strong that I cannot pay attention to what the man's action at the end. I think the director wants the audience to tell through this film not only how cruel social welfare department is in the UK but also the choice between protecting himself or taking a moral action will affect your life later.

Dole office sadism gets results

[domramos-3-539730 · 9/10 · 5 February 2015]

When an everyday error, something that anyone could get wrong, means that a man's dole payments are to be delayed in the face of weeks of dire poverty, the office-worker at the dole office treats the man with unwarranted bureaucratic malice. It is as if she has been ordered to do so. Indeed, a recent leak has revealed that dole offices in the UK are given targets for unsympathetic referrals:- in effect, as this film so powerfully shows, the State is setting out to be hostile to the poor to deny them their rightful benefits.

Against such a background, the main character is stunned when a series of rapid events that are so terrible and shocking unfold before his eyes, but he remains just astute enough to save his situation.

This protagonist's acting, and the film, has been praised by no less than Bernardo Bertolucci and Lord Puttnam, and anyone who enjoys a very fine short, or is interested in the reality facing many people in hardship should see this little gem.

astonished

[silvayuki · 8/10 · 1 March 2019]

***This review may contain spoilers*** The short film The Mass of Men is a story about a middle-aged man who needs money to live. This film starts from an image of a security camera. Since the image is without sound, I could not understand what is going on. After that, the detail is revealed. The man really needs money for his life, but because of his three-minute lateness, the woman in the office refuses to give him money. Then suddenly, a stranger appears behind the man and he kills the woman and other staffs with a nail machine. I think this way of murder is crueler than gun shooting. It made me remember another movie, Final Destination 3 which is a horror movie since a woman dies because of a nailing machine in the movie. I think the murderer in The Mass of Men has the same problem as the man who is the lead character. This film was shocking rather than interesting for me.

Powerful and shocking

[b-88494 · 7/10 · 26 February 2019]

The film starts overviewing the entire flow from the perspective of a security camera. Then the story processes by setting an old English man who is late for the appointment as the lead character. In the end, he regrets what he has done after he experiences the unexpected attack by a man forced with a nail gun. I like the way how the film moves forward. Especially the two main streams, the crime prevention camera and the story of the old man, work well to make the audience draw into the movie. Besides the camerawork succeeds in setting the active question which motivates the audience to concentrate and reveal the answer for the first hand. "What is going on in this room?" On the other hand, I thought some people might feel difficult to understand this movie including myself. It is because the audience is expected to know the background knowledge beforehand to enjoy this movie fully. The movie would be more widely accepted internationally if those cultural contexts are explained at some point during the movie. Also, the use of a weapon is interesting in this short film. The murderous character could have a gun to kill people, but instead, he uses a nail gun. Thanks to his abnormally using the familiar-to-everyone equipment, the scene adds extra punch visually.

All the tentions and relief.....

[akitagodfathers · 8/10 · 1 March 2019]

A man who has arrived late for his appointment for a job center will be penalized by his job adviser. The man cannot accept the penalization claiming that he only arrived 3 minutes late. The argue starts getting intense. It is a really stressful and anxious to watch how the man is treated by the woman. The emotions of the man are well interpreted by the actor. Every reaction the man does towards the woman attitude shows how desperate he is and all the despair he is feeling. The last scene is simply amazing. He finally surrenders in the argument and signs the paper. The anger, the resentment he is feeling he has is represented in the last scene but in a conventional way. Also, right or wrong, there is an alleviation in the scene that the man was saved in many ways. You also realize what was the video in the beginning - an Important movie.

Scealy

[craftholic1999 · 6/10 · 2 March 2019]

This is a very dark story. At the beggining, the camera angle of this short film is interesting. I realize that this film is shot from CCTB. After that scene, one man is hunting job but for some reasons he late 3 minutes. The main idea of this film is the silent majority of society. In the society, society does not reflect the real voice of citizens. Some part of this film is too scealy. Some people would feel uncomfortable by watching this. However, this film really shows the reality of the social problem. This is true that many people feel stress by hunting jobs. Using film is a good way to show the social problem to people.

The Mass of Men Review

[Mr_Waffles · 8/10 · 1 March 2019]

Review may contain spoilers. The Mass of Men is about a highly educated middle aged man who is struggling to find work and must use unemployment benefits to survive. The man ends up showing up late to his meeting with his unemployment benefits caseworker, unbeknownst to her. The man makes the mistake of being honest about being 3 minutes late to which the caseworker responds by cutting his benefits and belittling the man. It is at this point that The Mass of Men takes a "shocking" turn as another man attacks the office. During the confusion The man makes a regrettable decision. This short film is fairly enjoyable and easily establishes the two main characters as likeable and detestable before pulling off a nice shift. I would definitely recommend watching The Mass of Men. The Mass of Men can be found on Vimeo and runs for a little under 17 minutes.

Serious problem of employment

[foodie03 · 7/10 · 26 July 2017]

I was thrilled and scared of the story from the beginning to the end. This film shows us serious problem of employment and the reality of the time in U.K. The first scene is the video of security camera, which has a big role for this film. A man who is unemployed goes to a job center, but he can't receive the help because he didn't show up on time. When I found the connection between the first scene and this film in the middle of this film, I was scared of it from halfway. I think this title expresses that a lot of men are at a loss of employment at that time and have same frustration and complaints about the system. The mass of discontent drives them carazy. In this film, I felt bitter and strong anger and hatred toward the society.

well structured short film

[nobaryuta · 9/10 · 13 July 2021]

This short film "The Mass of Men" is a story about a man who tries to get unemployment benefit from the adviser, a middle-aged woman. In the beginning, the man cannot be on time for the appointment with her, and she is very upset with it. Even though he is late by only a few minutes, she does not forgive him and finally decides to cut his payments. He cannot accept it and argues with her, but she refuses his claim. Then, another hard man comes in the office, holding a nail gun.

The theme of this film, in my opinion, is that you would like to be treated like you treat someone. Because the adviser is so mean, she gets hates from 'The Mass of Men' and finally gets murdered. If she treats someone nicely, the ending must be different.

The structure of this short film is really well done because we see a part of its ending through CCTV at the beginning. When I watched this scene at first, I could not understand what happened in the film. However, this makes me more interested in the the story, and it is also more fun to re-watch compared with other films.

Horror but excellent

[monakazu · 6/10 · 26 July 2016]

Actually I don't like this movie very well, but I think this movie is excellent. In the first scene, movie starts with a video of surveillance camera in the Public Employment Security Office. Viewers cannot understand what that video means at that time. what viewers can see is the accident like murder happened in the office. But at the last, the meaning of the first scene becomes clear, and it connects to the story. The connection between the first scene and the last scene is excellent. The scene murder is happening is terrible, and the sound makes viewers scared.But viewers know the connection at the last, so it makes this movie refreshing and the refreshing feeling left inside viewers, not only horror elements.

Powerful, but affects human in a bad way, especially for teenagers or even adults

[g-59652-35572 · 1/10 · 19 February 2019]

It surprised me. In the beginning, i don't know what is happening with the CCTV. I understand that there is a bad thing happening in the office. That orange bag is very bright, stands out and caught our eye. That jobless man is late for three minutes, and then the job adviser decides to punish him. Yes, it's his fault. The jobless man is being lazy, and he choose not to get on the bus so as result, he couldn't make it to the appointment on time. However, for the woman, everyday, she is facing so many cases like this, and she become numb and forget that even if that guy has fault, he is going to die without the welfare. It's her job to deal with so many this type of jobless people, she shouldn't use this kind of attitude to treat him, even if she is right. i feel it's powerful, because it use the brutal violence to make you remember, to shock you, to give you strong emotions. However, it's bad because it's powerful only because of violence. And that violence is like you put a coincidence in the end. I don't buy it. however, i learn a lesson, it's better not to tell the real thoughts and complaints inside you to our people, because it might provoke bad feelings from others and you might be attacked by some psychopath. And in the end, everyone is selfish.

Depicts the reality

[b-63195 · 10/10 · 7 March 2019]

The film starts with the scene that someone attacked the office, which is shown by a security camera there. After that, the story begins in an office where a man visits to lend money and an office lady refuses it because of his 3 minutes-lateness. Including me, many audiences would expect that a man who attacked the office at the beginning of the film is the man talking with the office lady. But the film betrayed those expectations in a good way and that creates surprise. Not only that effect, but also it depicts that the poor, who is refused to lend money unreasonably and cannot get enough support to get a job, is not only a few. I personally like the film so much, it depicts the social gap and contempt to the poor in the US very well with effective surprises.

The structure is great

[Fjkkn · 8/10 · 5 July 2021]

In this short film, a man who is unemployed visits a job center to get his expenses back. However, his advisor doesn't accept it because he is late by three minutes. Moreover, she is very intimidating, so he has to sign a form...

A key characteristic of this film is the structure. The conclusion of this film is shown in the beginning, and the film then explains how it happened. Not only this structure but also how to describe the conclusion is awesome. Actually there is only a hint but no final resolution at first. Therefore, we can get another resolution at the end. I was excited.

Also, there is a contrast such as the very friendly advisor and the intimidating advisor, three minutes late is no problem at first and the lazy act at the end. These points make this film clear and catchy.

You can experience something different from the usual watching this film.

Here comes a breathtaking moment !

[maoenjoyhappy · 6/10 · 23 July 2017]

A middle-aged jobless man asks for help to a job center, but he is 3 minutes late for the appointment. His adviser determines to penalize him due to his laziness. Soon after, all of a sudden, a shocking matter happens… This film indicates the social problem of benefits in the UK. It is seeable that he attempts to behave as polite as possible even if he is cruelly looked down on by the adviser; otherwise, he becomes secondary or even outcast. This situation needs to be taken measures immediately, but most of the people think that it is hopeless to resolve. I believe that as a last resort the screenwriter comes up with the idea of violence.

It is said that beginning is one of the significant elements to make audience entertain greatly. At first glance, it is difficult to make out how this beginning of the surveillance camera scene relates to the end of the story. Yet, after watching the whole film until the very end, you will figure out what the camera scene shows what has become of the man of job seeker.

Beginning is an Ending

[ganpon · 9/10 · 20 July 2021]

The man who is unemployed is late by three minutes for the appointment at the job centre. A woman advisor there for the job-seekers asks him to sign for the money withheld for two weeks otherwise he won't get the money for four weeks. The man gets angry for her attitude but the woman blames him for his laziness.

This film shows the strict standard of the welfare service in Britain. Even though the man was late, it was only three minutes and the woman didn't know that he was late at the beginning. However, the man couldn't get the money he wanted.

The most impressive point of this film is the structure. The film begins from the video captured by the CCTV and it is exactly the same scene as the ending. The author intentionally puts the last scene at the very start so that the viewer could understand the meaning of the first scene in the end.

I think you should watch this film two times with everything understood in the second time.

Dark movie

[seizetheday-62572 · 7/10 · 2 August 2017]

This film shows the weakness of people. It often appears in the confusion. When the disaster or accidents happen, most people worry about the victims, but some people take such situation as a chance. For example, when the great east Japan earthquake happened, a lot of people confused and hurt. Also not only Japanese but also foreign people supported so much. However, there were some people who had evil mind. They stole commodities, food, drink and so on. Such a bad thought is very sorry. In this film, we can see it. When a woman and men are shot, a poor man's weakness appears. He tries to delete his data because he cannot get money. First, he looks so scared, but his desire is stronger than fear. However, could you help them when you were in such a situation? Most of you will escape because it is very dangerous. I hope everyone to help each other in every situation.

cruel

[rika-31302 · 9/10 · 7 August 2017]

This story is so dark and cruel that you will want to turn away from it. Including the beginning of this short movie, it has a rich content.

It also reflects the social issue such as the unemployed people or the poor, and describes one part of their daily lives. What it attracts us is that something suddenly breaks their routine, but that's something realistic.

You may feel the time's stopped at the horrible scene. Furthermore, the choice of the weapon is too terrible, so anyone who watches it will get shocked strongly.

I really like such a kind of grotesque scene, but even I feel it too much painful. If you want such a strong stimulation, I recommend you should watch it once.

Dark

[coldplayer-57213 · 6/10 · 6 August 2017]

This is a short movie. This movie is one of the dark story I have ever seen. The main character is a man who seeks a job. He goes to public employment security office. When he takes with a person who works at this public employment security office, the person was killed by a person who attacks her with a nail gun. After that, he decides to take an action. Hence, I strongly feel that I can't recommend this movie to a person who is not good at watching dark movie.

without saying

[tjch · 8/10 · 10 August 2017]

When I watched this short film for the first time, I wanted to avoid watching it, because the last scene was so grotesque for me. However, I found a brilliant point of this movie at the same time. It's visual telling. Without telling aloud, I could understand core characters' minds and the killer's working class. At the beginning, I sympathized with the man who tried to apply for welfare, because the female office worker treated him roughly. However, at the last, I changed my mind; I sympathized her because of the male killer, and I could not bear the same feeling to the male applicant, because he took some selfish action after the killer appeared. Moreover, trough this film, I could catch what problem gave pain to British people and what kind of them struggled from it, of course, this film told me it with visual materials. To tell the truth, I don't want to watch this film, because it shows an aspect of human being; it is selfish. I don't have a tolerance for the grotesque human characteristic, so I can't stand to watch it. However, some good points is included, so I recommend you to watch it at least one time.

quite shocking for me

[b-93813 · 5/10 · 3 March 2019]

This film is about a man who gets financial support and his adviser. One day, the man comes late to the appointment with her and be scolded. Another man who sees that comes to that table and shoots the adviser with a nail gun and the man run away holding the document to hide he comes late so that he can continues to be financially supported. To be honest, this film is too shocking for me to see. I am not sure why the man covers his ears, but I can understand it because the sound of the nail gun shot is stuck in my head and it reminds me of the shocking scene in which the adviser is killed with it. I am not that okay with watching this movie, but I think the structure is very interesting. This movie does not have dialogue other than an argument between the man and his adviser, it tells other things visually, for example, a shot of CCTV.

scary

[mkminnieyk · 4/10 · 25 July 2016]

This movie is so scary. I can't watch it all. I watch it without hiding my eyes by my hands. The beginning of the movie, an image of the security camera starts. There is no sound. The audience can't understand what starts. Then, a man's story starts. It is a great cinematic technique. I have never seen such beginning of movies. The audience are interested in the beginning because they don't know about the movie when they just watch the beginning of the movie. The movie attracts a lot of audience. The story goes bad way. The end of the movie, it is really scary. A stranger comes in the company. There is no explanation about the stranger. There is no explanation about the situation, too. The audience should guess the stranger and the situation. The way of making movie is so great but it is really scary.

The Mass of Men

[b-71810 · 4 March 2019]

I have never seen this kind of surprising story. The main character is a man who is seeking for a job. He is late for his job-seeking appointment by five minutes. A female advisor penalizes him because of his tardiness. When he is about to leave the office, the female advisor is shot by someone using a gun. The opening scene is filmed by surbeillance camera. We don't know what's going on at this point. However, we can see everyone in the office is in panic an is trying to get away from there when a man comes into the office. After this scene, the film moves on to the main character's job appointment scene. It is an ordinary scene that we can easily see in our daily lives. The interesting point of this film is the contrast between the strange man-with-a-gun scene and the ordinary in-the-office scene. Thus, the film is directed in a matter-of-fact way. The reactions that the characters take when the female advisor is attacked are so realistic. I felt like I am watching a documentary film.