The Boss of It All (2006)

An IT company hires an actor to serve as the company's president in order to help the business get sold to a cranky Icelander.

Director:

Lars von Trier

Writer:

Lars von Trier

Stars:

Jens Albinus, Peter Gantzler, Friðrik Þór Friðriksson

1 win & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Jens Albinus	...	Direktøren for det hele / Kristoffer / Svend E
Peter Gantzler	...	Ravn
Friðrik Þór Friðriksson	...	Finnur (as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson)
Benedikt Erlingsson	...	Tolk
Iben Hjejle	...	Lise
Henrik Prip	...	Nalle
Mia Lyhne	...	Heidi A.
Casper Christensen	...	Gorm
Louise Mieritz	...	Mette
Jean-Marc Barr	...	Spencer
Sofie Gråbøl	...	Kisser
Anders Hove	...	Jokumsen

Storyline

The owner of an IT firm wants to sell up. The trouble is that when he started his firm he invented a nonexistent company president to hide behind when unpopular steps needed taking. When potential purchasers insist on negotiating with the "Boss" face to face the owner has to take on a failed actor to play the part. The actor suddenly discovers he is a pawn in a game that goes on to sorely test his (lack of) moral fibre.

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Plot Keywords:

actor | director | lawyer | contract | business meeting | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Denmark Sweden France Italy Germany Iceland

Language:

Danish Icelandic English Russian

Release Date:

8 December 2006 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

The Boss of It All

Box Office

Budget:

EUR3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,855, 27 May 2007

Gross USA:

$51,548

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,111,395

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zentropa Productions, Memfis Film, Slot Machine

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie is shot with camera technique called Automavision, an innovation in which the camera angles and movements are selected by a computer. The media notes explain technique, "a principle for shooting film developed with the intention of limiting human influence by inviting chance in from the cold". There are odd framings and jump cuts within scenes making everything seem a bit unsettled.

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Connections

Referenced in Skuespillerne for det hele (2007)

User Reviews

Superb, satirical enterprise comedy

What a wonderful surprise this film was! I never expected a pretty straightforward satire from von Trier and Dogme, but I certainly got it. The plot sounds well-used and obvious but the way it was transferred to a Scandinavian IT culture, the distanced approach to character writing, improvisation, and superb acting and direction made it a great comedy. On reflection, what was really hilarious was the massively over-inflated self-importance of each and every character. Ali G. and Borat could learn a few things from these Danes (and one very irate Icelander).

As the end credits voice-over said, "Apologies to those who expected more, and to those who expected less. The others got what they deserved". I was glad to be one of the others.