Corporate Animals (2019)

CEO Lucy takes her staff on corporate team building in some underground desert caves in New Mexico. They get stuck there.

Director:

Patrick Brice

Writer:

Sam Bain

Stars:

Demi Moore, Ed Helms, Jessica Williams

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Demi Moore	...	Lucy
Ed Helms	...	Brandon
Jessica Williams	...	Jess
Karan Soni	...	Freddie
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Derek
Martha Kelly	...	Gloria
Dan Bakkedahl	...	Billy
Calum Worthy	...	Aidan
Jennifer Kim	...	May
Nasim Pedrad	...	Suzy
Frank Bond	...	Ian
Wendy Meredith	...	Victoria
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Courtney Cunningham	...	Olivia
LynNita Ellis	...	Reporter
Chris Harding	...	Bobby Skylar

Storyline

Lucy (Demi Moore) is the egotistical megalomaniac CEO of Incredible Edibles, America's premier provider of edible cutlery. In her infinite wisdom, Lucy leads her staff including her long-suffering assistants, Freddie (Karan Soni) and Jess (Jessica Williams), on a corporate team-building caving weekend to New Mexico. When disaster strikes, not even their useless guide, Brandon (Ed Helms), can save them. Trapped underground by a cave-in, this mismatched and disgruntled group must pull together in order to survive.

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Plot Keywords:

male frontal nudity | male nudity | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language, sexual content, some gore and brief nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

Corporate Animals

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,056

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pacific Electric Picture Company, Protagonist Pictures, Snoot Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As Aiden is woken he announces that he doesn't want to wear Hitler's boots. This is a line spoken by Mark in Peep Show (2003), also by writer Sam Bain

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Quotes

Brandon: Number one rule is do whatever the fuck I say the second I say it.

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Connections

References CSI: NY (2004)

User Reviews

something to chew on

Greetings again from the darkness. Filmmaker Patrick Brice is building a career on films that leave us with an unsettled, even conflicted feeling on whether we should "like" them or not. He certainly has little time for 'normal' characters, and heroic behavior rarely enters a scene. His latest is written by Sam Bain (PEEP SHOW, and son of Emmy winning director Bill Bain), and it fits perfectly into the offbeat comedy realm of Mr. Brice's previous two CREEP films (with Mark Duplass) and THE OVERNIGHT (2015).

The film kicks off was an advertisement (in the pre-production stage) for Incredible Edibles, a bio-friendly company that produces edible cutlery (a comical visual). Featured in the ad is the company's ruthless CEO Lucy, played by Demi Moore. Lucy has arranged a Team Building outing for her employees in the mountains of New Mexico. The expedition is led by Brandon (Ed Helms, THE HANGOVER), a Bear Gryllis type who easily evaluates the team's incongruent pieces. After advising against Lucy's demand for the "Advanced" trail, Brandon gives in since 'the check has cleared'. He proceeds to lead the team on a repelling adventure down into a stunning cavern.

Just when it looks like the "advanced" trail was the right call, a cave-in occurs, trapping the team with no escape route, and little food or water. It's at this point when we realize that most of Lucy's management style seems to have originated in a 'get tough' management book from the 1960's. She has no real instinct on how to treat people, and mostly just bullies and tricks them. Ms. Moore's character and performance could easily be viewed as a spoof of her DISCLOSURE role with some uncomfortable laughs. We even get a Harvey Weinstein punchline.

Noticeable right away is the terrific comedic cast. Lucy's team consists of Jess (Jessica Williams, BOOKSMART), Freddie (Karan Soni, DEADPOOL), Derek (Isiah Whitlock Jr, CEDAR RAPIDS), Gloria (Martha Kelly, "Baskets"), Billy (Dan Bakkedahl, SWORD OF TRUST), May (Jennifer Kim, "The Blacklist"), Suzy (Nasim Padrad, ALADDIN), and intern Aidan (Calum Worthy, "American Vandal"). This is an exceptionally talented group of funny people who know how to deliver a line. Some of the funniest moments are the 'throwaway' lines being uttered in between the main dialogue. That's where the real comedy gold is buried, so listen closely.

Although the film is a comedy, it also boasts some elements of horror and suspense. Lucy's twisted idealism is the basis for some of this, as is the team's situation as things become more dire (think ALIVE blended with any workplace comedy). We learn the company is teetering on financial failure, and as one might expect in a confined area, workplace resentments and true feelings begin to rear up. The script never quite takes on business satire, focusing instead on personal reactions to a bleak situation. Even Gary Sinise and Britney Spears are included in the comic elements, and while some will find this to be a fitting midnight movie, others will once again be left wondering what to make of Patrick Brice's films. And maybe that's the point.