The Company

Name: The Company
Genre: Drama, Romance, Music
Released: December 25, 2003
Duration: 112 min
Rating: 73
Cast: James Franco, Malcolm McDowell, Neve Campbell

2003

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Ratings

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The Company

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: December 25, 2003 | R

Starring: James Franco, Malcolm McDowell, Neve Campbell

Summary: This ensemble drama about the life of a company of ballet dancers focuses on a young dancer (Campbell) on the verge of becoming a principal dancer.

Director: Robert Altman

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Music

Rating: R

Runtime: 112 min

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Critic Reviews

100

David Sterritt

Like many Altman movies, this is less a dramatic story to follow than an atmospheric environment to visit. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

A funny valentine by an old master, woos us into the dance. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

The key to The Company is the quiet, focused rapture of Neve Campbell, who formally trained in ballet and performed all of her on-screen dances. The tranquil delight she takes in her body becomes its own eloquent form of acting. Read full review

Liam Lacey

A love letter to performers who put their egos and bodies on the line. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Though the ballets themselves are beautifully shot, they lean heavily in the direction of gimmicky and prop-heavy pieces; they're visually interesting but, by and large, they're not great dance. Read full review

Peter Rainer

It's plotless. It fits no category -- "docudrama tone poem" probably comes closest. Read full review

Kimberley Jones

When The Company owns up to what it is -– a performance piece -– it’s glorious. Everything else -– the window-dressing of a fiction film -– just gums up that gloriousness. Read full review

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Spangle

Mar 13, 2017

One of the last films of his career finds director Robert Altman at his most stubborn. Often times, his films are criticized for not really having a plot. Instead, those films are character-driven. It is about the interactions some protagonist has with others and the situations they findOne of the last films of his career finds director Robert Altman at his most stubborn. Often times, his films are criticized for not really having a plot. Instead, those films are character-driven. It is about the interactions some protagonist has with others and the situations they find themselves in that drive the film forward. Films such as California Split are admittedly quite plotless, but the interactions between the two protagonists on their gambling journey is what propels the film forward. Others, such as McCabe & Mrs. Miller, do have more of a plot, but still rely on the characters to move the film forward. The Company, however, is different. Altman refuses to give us characters or a plot. Yes, the film does pretend to focus on ballet dancer Ryan (Neve Campbell), her boyfriend Josh (James Franco), or company director Alberto (Malcolm McDowell), but very few scenes exist where they are the stars. Instead, the film is about the company. The group of dancers, their interactions, and the film plays out more like a documentary than a true drama.

Introducing us to Ryan and her family for no apparent reason, the half-baked character development is the film's biggest fault. Neve Campbell is fine in the role, but Ryan is hardly worthy of so much attention when the film flat out refuses to take it farther than showing us her family and boyfriend. The film would have turned out far better had they just focused on everybody else and the company as a whole, which it seems to want to do. Perhaps Altman could not get funding unless actual characters were added or something, but regardless, it does hold the film back as it just feels excessive and unnecessary. This could also be a writing issue, but even the writing seems to admit these characters are incredibly dry.

That said, the world this film drops you into is absolutely irresistible. Though I am not a dancer nor am I a fan of ballet, the intricacy of the performances on display here and the practice is impeccable. The film feels tense and dramatic with very little effort as you watch people battle it out for roles in a never-ending stream of performances. Merely watching a dancer practice or audition is incredibly tense, even when we have no idea who they are. There is a natural tension to this realistic display put forth by Altman's film that really elevates the film. But, the film is not nearly just the drama. It is also the interactions and camaraderie between those in the company. One woman "rents" out her place for fellow dancers and, one night, she goes around at night asking if somebody has an extra condom. It feels like an out of place scene in the film if you view it as being about Ryan, since she is not in the place at all. If you view it as merely a film about the company, its dancers, and its productions, it makes a whole lot more sense. It is an oddly charming sequence that shows that all of these people are in it together, with no questions asked. Though their families may not support them, the other dancers are ride or die.

While perhaps not the most engaging film on the surface, there is a lot to like about The Company. It may be Altman's least structured film, or at least one of them, but features a lot of late career flair that his earlier films (1980s) sometimes lacked. He is open to giving up scenes to just the choreography and letting the nameless dancers do their thing, which is to the film's benefit. It is a film about the ballet company and by the ballet company. Altman lets them do the talking, unfortunately the film does try to force Ryan and her dull boyfriend upon us, which is the film's main weakness. The film is about the company. Do not try and add some useless love interest and back story to a film that does not need either. Unfortunately, it did and we are left with a film that feels unfocused as a result of this divided approach between Ryan's story and then everybody else. This division is what holds the film back from being better, but even, it is a terrific odd little film that is not really slice of life or stream of consciousness, but more of a docudrama.… Expand

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MikaelP.

Jan 5, 2004

This movie appeared as the closing film for the High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, New York, where many great small and foreign films were revealed, especially In America. This film, on the other hand, sucked us in and then spit us out, completely disappointed. Great talent does show This movie appeared as the closing film for the High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, New York, where many great small and foreign films were revealed, especially In America. This film, on the other hand, sucked us in and then spit us out, completely disappointed. Great talent does show itself in this film, but the entire experience is utterly banal, as the film has NO plot. None. It can be said that it is a documentary about a dance studio in Chicago, and some of the things that occured in the course of that studio's existence are revealed. You know what? Nobody cares about the story, because there is no plot, and the character traits and development are lost and pointless. The only draw of the film was the dancing talent that was shown, which, as I feel that anyone else in that theater can support me on, would be better seen at a REAL dance studio today. The whole experience is lost onscreen. After the film ended and we realized how pointless it was, one of the "writers" went onstage and was interviewed about the experience of writing the screenplay. She admitted that Altman had requested that no story should exist, so that is exactly what he got. Prior film interviews at the festival had brought out many questions from the audience, but very few people wanted to ask her any questions, seeing as how there was really nothing to ask about. Nothing. So folks, take it from someone who has lasted perienced its pointlessness. Ignore the critics' praise of Altmanism. This is possible the least consecquential movie of the year.… Expand

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HelenS.

Apr 10, 2006

Can I say BORING? I just rented this and fell asleep 20 minutes into it. There is no story line, no character development and some of the choreography looks like it's making fun of ballet. Neve Campbell is non-existent and has barely any lines. What is the point of this movie?

0 of 2 users found this helpful

Marg

Nov 28, 2005

Worst movie I've ever seen actually. NOTHING happens. Nothing. At all.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

JoshC

Nov 19, 2006

Robert Altman has been plugging away on movie sets, manufacturing adroit classics, odious train wrecks, and

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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69	#69 Best Movie of 2003
84	#84 Most Discussed Movie of 2003