The Human Resources Manager (Eran Riklis, 2010): Israel / Germany / France / Romania

Reviewed by Yuichi K. Viewed at Mann’s Chinese 6, AFI Fest 2010

Human resource management is not an easy work. People who are related to it need to observe every employee’s types such as characters and abilities. In addition, they need to shuffle workers in right places whether workers agree or not. The Human Resources Manager is an interesting film that focuses on the work.

This comical film, The Human Resources Manager starts at an Jerusalem’s largest bakery. The human resource manager(Mark Ivanir) works hard, but suffers from unsatisfied life without his family. One day, one incident completely changes his life. A suicide bomb involves a lady named Yulia. She has worked in his factory. Then the factory’s attitude is strict because she was a foreign worker, but the human resources manager(HR) is in an awkward situation and decides to bring her coffin to her hometown in Romania by chance.

People sometimes say Jewish people are good at business. This story also indicates the tough mind. The HR always brings his bakery’s breads and treat them in any situations. Even though, he hands over Yulia’s remain to her family, the breads are together with her coffin.

In addition, it has a human story. Yulia’s son has fallen into devil ways with his friends. When HR reached him, at first, he denies HR and the friends and behaves like the generation kid. However, after he realizes his mother’s death, little by little he becomes harmony with.

“The Human Resource Manager” is Toronto International Film Festival’s Official Selection, and also the winner of Israel Film Academy Award. The director, Eran Riklis is known with “The Syrian Bride” and “Lemmon Tree”. The lead actor, Mark Ivanir, is also known for popular films such as “The Good Shepard”, “Schindler’s List” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”

Every story has the end. “The Human Resources manager” also has. In the long and comical travel, what does HR discover and shuffle for what kind of things? Naturally, the answer is in the film. Please witness it with your eyes.