Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Jennifer Aniston | ... | ||
Steve Zahn | ... | ||
Margo Martindale | ... |
Trish
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Fred Ward | ... |
Jerry
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James Hiroyuki Liao | ... |
Al
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Woody Harrelson | ... | ||
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Katie O'Grady | ... |
Corporate Bliss Receptionist
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Yolanda Suarez | ... |
Marissa
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Kevin Heffernan | ... |
Jed
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Don Burns | ... |
Businessman
(as Don Stewart Burns)
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Kimberly Howard | ... |
Colleague
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Collin Crowley | ... |
Wally
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Gilberto Martin del Campo | ... |
Priest
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Mark Boone Junior | ... |
Jack
(as Mark Boone Jr.)
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Garfield Wedderburn | ... |
Bus Driver
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Mike works at his parents' motel in Kingman, population 27,000, on old Route 66. Sue sells art for a Baltimore firm to corporations for office walls. He takes one look at her from behind as she registers at the motel and determines to connect. He's sweet, but hapless, with no ambition other than spending time with her. She's enigmatic - rarely smiling, occasionally impulsive, committed to helping homeless people, feeling the clock tick after a breakup with a boyfriend who could have provided security. Is there any way he stands a chance with her? What can he offer? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Mike (Steve Zahn) is a hapless young man stuck in Arizona; Sue (Jennifer Aniston) is a young career woman on the move all over the country. He thinks he has something special with her but she just views his actions as inappropriate.
Aniston's Sue comes across as mature and diplomaticvery different than Rachel and her other recent characters. While Steve Zahn's character was very well written. He's very awkward and inexperienced around women and his use of words shows that perfectly and humorously. He's also very observant and a good judge of character. These characteristics help him build a connection with Sue and move the film forward.
At times, the structure of the story drags the film down a bit. The beginning is about introducing the characters and the second half has a more active plot when we meet Sue's on-again, off-again, and on-again boyfriend Janga (Woody Harrelson) and Mike gets closer to sorting out his life. The two halves aren't connected as well as they could have been but there is a bit of subdued humour sprinkled throughout.
"Management" is just a romantic comedy, but it has better written humour than most in the genre and much better written characters. I recommend it for its cute performances by Aniston and Zahn and for the little bit of inspiration that such real and developed characters can provide.