Introduction
The Consultant, a French comedy-drama film, directed by Jean-Paul Salomé and starring Gérard Jugnot and Charlotte de Turckheim, thrusts the audience into a high-stakes, comical journey of growth and redemption. Following the story of Xavier Desmirail, an incompetent business consultant, The Consultant parodies the hectic world of corporate gigging.
Xavier is a smart but bumbling consultant who takes on too many projects for too many clients at once, resulting in careless mistakes in communication between his clients which puts him at risk of public humiliation. His seemingly comfortable workhorse career quickly spirals as his chaotic life starts to catch up with him; he’s dealing with financial debts and bankruptcies left behind from his previous mistakes due to mismanagement. Furthermore, that trust between clientele is quickly diminishing; exposing Xavier’s ineptitude in effectively delivering on content projects.
In spite of his downward spiral, Xavier has one final chance to redeem himself and find success in saving one particular undertaking. Despite the odds being against him he meticulously plans out three lessons out of which emerge meaningful experiences and understanding.
Plot Summary
The Consultant is a 2019 comedy-drama film about a retired consultant being called back to the world of international finance. The film stars Oscar-winning actor Richard Gere as Eugene, a former big bank executive and master negotiator. He returns from his retreat in the California hills to aid a small start-up attempting to negotiate with a powerful and intimidating venture capitalist, played by Kevin Kline.
Eugene quickly discovers that his expertise isn’t as necessary as he thought and is instead put in charge of an unexpected turn of events with serious consequences for the new business’s future.
The comedy is provided by Eugene’s old colleagues including Giancarlo Esposito and Tony Award winner Laughter David Hyde Pierce, who delight in toying with their retired master negotiator as he attempts to outwit his formidable adversary. Adding more tension are the personal stakes involving both characters’ goals: Eugene’s dream retirement versus the start-up’s need for success.
While keeping it lighthearted, this humorous drama about an aging mogul battling corporate cutthroat capitalism carries an important message about the power of personal responsibility, staying true to your principles, and following your dreams no matter what odds you face.
Characters
The Consultant is a suspense-filled drama about a young man in pursuit of the truth. The main character of the movie, Daniel, is a brilliant and ambitious consultant. He finds himself in a moral dilemma when he is asked to lie for a high-profile client.
The other characters of the movie are equally important in the narrative of the movie, adding depth and complexity to the story. These characters include Daniel’s mentors and colleagues, as well as the antagonists he is confronted with:
- Mentors and colleagues
- Antagonists
Main Characters
The main characters of the film The Consultant are as follows:
- John Cook: Cook is an experienced management consultant who has worked in the consulting industry for over 20 years. He is hired by a small firm called Blackwater Consulting to help the business reform and save costs while increasing outcomes and customer satisfaction.
- Paula Wilson: Paula is the CEO of Blackwater Consulting and she hires John to help tackle her company’s issues. She provides John with support throughout his tenure as consultant at Blackwater and helps him in his efforts to turn around the floundering business.
- Sara Hardy: Sara is John’s assistant at Blackwater Consulting and assists him in many aspects of his work, from running errands to helping solve cases. She also serves as a close source moral support for Cook during his time at the consulting firm.
- Tommy Lane: Tommy is one of Cook’s main mentors while working at Blackwater Consulting, providing words of wisdom and insights into how companies are managed effectively. He also helps nurture Sara’s managerial skills as she steps into her team-leader role in order to better manage the consulting firm’s projects and initiatives.
Supporting Characters
The Consultant’s supporting cast is strong and well rounded, featuring some of the most memorable characters. First up is Tony Stark’s trusted assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), who performs her duties reliably and always takes care of her boss no matter what. She also serves as Tony’s love interest throughout the film as he develops a relationship with her after she helps him out from a tough setup.
Second, there’s Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) who is Tony’s military liaison in getting operations rolling on time. Always stern, Colonel Rhodes provided a masculine presence to help direct the movements of Iron Man within S.H.I.E.L.D., providing levity and relief whenever needed by breaking up arguments or lightening the mood between Tony and his friends/enemies at large.
Last but not least is Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). He works under Tony as an executive in Stark Industries but has ultimate ambition in being higher than him in terms of power and authority over the company that they both work for, clashing many times throughout the movie while remaining a strong source of tension between Tony and Pepper both personally and professionally.
All three characters, Potts, Rhodes, and Stane all bring unique personalities to their performances effortlessly because each actor gave them heart and wit that kept the viewer invested all the way through to its dramatic conclusion, making them just as important as any of the main protagonists that were featured on screen in The Consultant.
Themes
The Consultant is a gripping and thought-provoking movie with a number of themes. The movie follows a consultant trying to make a big sale while facing the moral implications of his job. It is a story of ambition, power, money, and morality and is sure to keep the audience engaged throughout its runtime. The film also explores themes of loyalty, greed, and social power dynamics.
In this review, we will be exploring these and other themes present in the movie:
Friendship
One of the main themes of the movie The Consultant is friendship. From the moment that the protagonist and his best friend Oren meet, there is a mutual respect and understanding between them. They are equally committed to their consulting business and to looking out for each other. Even when facing adversity, they trust each other’s judgment and decisions.
The importance of friendship is further demonstrated in the relationships between the other characters in the film. The consultant’s team members all have a deep bond of loyalty which enables them to continue their work despite difficult circumstances. This extends beyond their professional lives as they share personal experiences which further strengthen their relationships.
Furthermore, one of the movie’s key messages is that friends can achieve anything together when working towards a common goal or cause. Despite facing immense pressure from their clients, a strong sense of camaraderie among team members allows them to push forward against all odds – proving that trust, commitment and integrity are essential ingredients for successful teamwork. Ultimately, this movie serves as testament to how powerful friendships can be when they are formed around shared values and genuine human connections.
Professionalism
The main theme of this movie is professional conduct, and in particular how to handle yourself in a situation where there is a disagreement between two different groups: the client and the consultant. The main character, Tom Williams, must use his wit and diplomacy to manage both sides and create a workable solution for the organization he is consulting for.
As Tom works through the project, it becomes clear that maintaining professionalism is key to any successful consultation. He must ensure that all parties involved have their voices heard, while also presenting all points of view without bias. He must also respect deadlines and budgets set by his client as well as maintain an understanding of the company’s corporate values throughout all interactions.
Another interesting aspect of this theme is how Tom balances being assertive with being respectful to maintain authority in difficult situations. He cleverly diffuses tension among groups by speaking diplomatically instead of raising his voice in frustration or attacking people verbally even when provocations occur – all the while keeping the goal of finding a satisfactory outcome for everyone at top priority.
In summary, professional conduct proves essential to maintaining authority when dealing with conflicts between clients and consultants alike; this movie provides insight into how such conflicts can be handled with integrity and diplomacy without sacrificing overall effectiveness.
Loyalty
The themes in The Consultant go beyond the good versus evil conflict and embody loyalty. In the film, loyalty among friends is a key theme. This can be seen right away in the beginning of the story, when all of Dave’s friends rally around him, even though they know he has done something wrong. Even though his loyalty is put to the test, they refuse to give up on him and continue to stand by his side.
Throughout the movie, loyalty is also portrayed as something that can be earned through acts of courage and kindness—especially when one’s own safety is at risk. When Dave stands up to the gang leader JJ despite knowing he could easily be killed for it, his friends gain a deep admiration for him that ultimately strengthens their bond—their loyalty growing even stronger than before.
Every relationship in this movie has its ups and downs yet loyalty remains strong regardless. By showing how strong bonds are formed within groups of friends who trust each other completely The Consultant shows us that relationships can be meaningful and long-lasting if people value sincerity and mutual respect above all else.
Cinematography
The Consultant is an engaging and immersive movie with beautiful cinematography. Every shot is carefully composed to create a thrilling and captivating atmosphere. The excellent use of angles, lighting, and color creates a mood that is both passionate and suspenseful. The cinematography draws viewers in and makes the action even more engaging.
Let’s explore the details of this film’s cinematography further:
Visuals
Cinematography is an essential element of any movie and has a huge impact on viewers’ experience. Specifically in The Consultant, the visuals were spectacular. The film was shot on location in New York City and Long Island, as well as in Hollywood sets at the Warner Brothers lot.
The cinematographer used a variety of techniques to convey a sense of realism and to capture the mood and atmosphere of the story. In one scene where our protaganist is giving a presentation to clients, there was an impressive tracking shot over her shoulder that followed her travel to the boardroom table. This technique creates a feeling of immersion while still keeping the audience at arm’s length from what was happening onstage. Additionally, various camera angles were used throughout the shoot that allowed great opportunities for viewers to experience different perspectives; low-angle shots conveyed power while higher angles provided greater emotional depth.
Overall, it was clear that great care went into every frame of The Consultant – from careful color correction and lighting setups designed to emphasize clarity without compromising emotionality – resulting in an exquisite viewing experience for audiences.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of a movie is an integral part of the cinematography. This auditory element can be used to both heighten emotions on screen and further the plot of a film in powerful ways. Soundtracks typically include a range of musical selections, sound effects, dialogue clips, and more.
Music is one of the most essential elements in a film’s soundtrack. Music has the unique ability to connect viewers with characters’ emotions and help propel the story forward. A variety of styles and genres can be used in order to capture different scenes or moments better–from classical movements to rock anthems or something more eclectic like jazz or blues riffs.
Sound designers are also important contributors to film soundtracks. They use sounds from nature and everyday life objects as well as digitally produced noises or sound effects to create an atmosphere that enhances visual images on screen. Many sound designers collaborate closely with filmmakers throughout the production process so that their work can be integrated seamlessly into each frame that appears on screen when viewers watch the final film.
Dialogue is another major component of many soundtracks, although it does not fit into these two categories as strictly as music or sound design does. Dialogue helps bring life and personality to characters in films by providing us with direct access into their thoughts or feelings about any given moment; it also serves its own narrative purpose, advancing character development and plot exposition within movies over time. This layer closely connects scenes together making sure they stay consistent while also helping viewers understand what is going on in each scene as it occurs throughout the movie.
Conclusion
The Consultant is an impressive movie with a well-crafted narrative. It features deeply engaging characters who will no doubt engage the audience. The movie has a great balance between comedy and drama, while showcasing brilliant visual effects that bring the story to life.
The cast of stellar actors including John Travolta, David Tennant, Alicia Vikander and Paul Schneider give exciting performances that create a unique atmosphere and takes us onto an emotional journey.
Overall, The Consultant is an entertaining experience that sure to please viewers of all ages. With interesting characters, thought-provoking themes, and stunning visuals, this movie is bound to become a cult classic that audiences around the world will love for years to come.