Cara Buckley • Feb 17, 2022
STUDIO SYNOPSIS:
“The Good Boss” takes place in and around the Blancos Básculas factory, where all things must be in balance at all times. After all, they manufacture scales of all shapes and sizes. There, the seemingly benevolent boss, Bardem’s Blanco, is preparing his workforce for an upcoming inspection by a group visiting local businesses to select one for a prestigious prize. Tensions begin to mount, however, when recently fired employee Jose shows up with his two children and begins making demands for the reinstatement of his employment. When Blanco’s management team refuses, the employee begins a one man crusade to discredit Blanco and prevent him from winning the much-coveted award.
Ephesians 5:6 – “Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.” (NLT)
The “Good Boss” is anything but in this Spanish Drama, an intriguing story that follows business owner Blanco’s daily life over the course of a week. It’s a particularly stressful week because he knows he is under the eyes of the scrutiny of an award committee.
Blanco lives for his wall of awards, and he has his greedy eye on this Award of Excellence that would complete the collection. He would do anything to get it, but he doesn’t do what’s necessary to earn it. All of his efforts focus more on the appearance of excellence. Behind the curtains, the company is a hot mess, and he strives to cover up the mess than he does to fix it. It’s a very difficult lesson for him. If he doesn’t learn it by week’s end, he could destroy his entire life including his business.
His collection of awards should be the least of his problems, but his greed overcomes his reasoning. It drives him to make many mistakes over the course of the week. Easily preventable and fixable mistakes. Yet, he continues to cover his tracks in the name of his coveted award, an award he doesn’t deserve.
“The Good Boss” is a prime example of deceit and greed. The people who win the awards and get the good jobs are often the ones who don’t deserve or appreciate it. Meanwhile, those of us who struggle the most are underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid. The world is an unfair place where bad people triumph over good. Greed and dishonesty win the awards.
Awards mean nothing in this world. There is only one judge that matters, and that judge sees everything. We can’t hide from the eyes of God. Not even the winner of awards, Blanco. He may escape judgment in this life, but he won’t in the next without redeeming himself to God. Let this movie be a lesson on whose judgment should really matter in our lives.