Price Check

I'll bet you never wondered what goes on behind the scenes in your local supermarket: why items are placed where they are, what equipment is used for the checkers, when specials are planned and how careers are made or ruined based on the success or failure of these decisions.

Screening audiences attending this 2012 Seattle International Film Festival entry from the USA will never wonder; we got to watch these corporate shenanigans in living color!

We saw:

• Parker Posey ("Inside Out") is a recently hired dynamo brought in to re-energize this mid-size supermarket chain. Her take-no-prisoners style is immediately obvious when she fires a high-timer unjustly, simply so she can re-invest his significant salary on promotional material.
• Eric Mabius (Lots of TV) is a frustrated music industry profes- sional, temporarily (he hopes) side-tracked into supermarket management. He is seduced by the siren song of success, with a salary increase and unexpected temptation. All his boss wants in return (she says) is his loyalty.
• Annie Parisse ("The Amazing Spider-Man") is our hero's wife, proud of his work ethic and really proud of his promotion! She even might be willing to overlook a thing or two....
• Cheyenne Jackson ("Lola Versus") is a man from that dynamo's past, who has nothing nice to say about her! He stands his ground with her though, which is more than most men.
• Julia Bray (Lots of TV) is quite the surprise. Downtrodden, over- looked and derided, she suddenly finds her inner loyal employee and delivers a great motivational speech.

As a veteran of the corporate world, I felt the discussions around the planning table had a ring of authenticity, although the percent increase they are discussing sounds waaaay out of line for the grocery business! Safeway and Kroegers should be so lucky!

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Here is a link to a clip:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi250126617/
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