Steve Conrad, who made splashes as the screenwriter for The Weather Man and Pursuit of Happyness, tries his hand at directing in this quirky and subtle comedy about the middle management dreams of grocery store employees.

First we meet Doug (played deftly by Seann William Scott), an assistant manager at Donaldson’s Grocery, who dreams of becoming the manager of a new Donaldson’s set to open in the area. If he could only make manager, he and his wife could move out of the cramped, noisy apartment where they live next to a kinky banjo player. His current manager tells him he is a shoo-in… That is, until the arrival of Richard.

Richard, brought brilliantly to life by John C. Reilly (who, though recently starring in low-brow slap-stick comedies, has also established his acting expertise in blockbusters like Magnolia and Chicago), is a transplant from Canada who has moved with his wife and little girl to vie for the manager position. Richard listens to motivational tapes and hides a secret past.

And thus the race begins. Full of uncomfortable embarrassments, mishaps, and truth-stretching, both men struggle to realize their dreams, and along the way discover what they are really made of and what really matters.

Conrad seems to have a penchant for uncomfortable situations. Whether it is Will Smith’s homeless single father trying to make it in the drama Happyness or Nicolas Cage’s bedraggled divorced man in the morose black comedy, Weather Man, Conrad knows how to put his characters—and his audience—through the wince-inducing moments in life. Promotion is no exception.

For instance, in a wickedly accurate cameo appearance, Jason Bateman plays the motivational corporate retreat instructor who uncannily discovers the most effective methods to inadvertently humiliate his pupils, bringing back those horrid experiences of grade school and beyond. You know those times: when it seemed like everyone else but you knew what was going on, and you were left the odd ball out. For Richard, this means standing with a bag on his head and no shirt on.

What is great about these moments, and the comedic element of the film itself, is that the comedy is underplayed. This is not the gag-reel type of goofball comedy. Instead, these are two guys who could very easily exist in reality—and could just as easily get themselves into and out of these awkward situations.

This also adds to the charm of the film. As we watch the motivations and lives of both main characters, there is no clear winner or loser. You want them both to win. Certainly there is a bit of a nod to Doug, as he is the first character we meet and the narrator. However, we come to want Richard to succeed as well, especially when he is tap-dancing alone in the frozen food section. You wind up hoping there will suddenly be two Donaldson’s opening soon, offering both men that brass ring.

Writer/Director Steve Conrad explains that this film is about becoming the best person you can be. If that genuinely reflects his philosophy, then his idea of finding that best person requires a lot of trial and error; lying and being caught; selfishness; mental self-flagellation; humor; and the ultimate recognition that everyone cannot always get what they want and how they want it… but being the better person calls for sacrifice and genuine care for others—including our enemies (and/or rivals). Not a bad lesson to learn, nor an unpleasant way to relearn it.

The Promotion is rated R for ”sexual references and some drug use.” This rating surprised me as. While some of the sexual references are quite gross, there are not very many of them. This seemed more like a PG-13. However, since the comedy is itself more subtle, the younger high school set may not like it (or get it) anyway.

Courtesy of a local publicist, Jennie attended a press screening of The Promotion.