Film Name: 不过是上班 / Just A Job
I caught an advance screening of the upcoming film “Just A Job.” As a comedy billed to “showcase the bitterness of the workplace and offer a mental massage for the working masses,” it manages to fulfill its basic mission. Unfortunately, its quality is limited—whether it’s the rudimentary production values or the heavy-handed sentimentality, it falls significantly short of being a quality film.
Moreover, this film reminded me of something: certain common phrases are best left to the internet and everyday conversations. When deliberately extracted and used as slogans to pander to audiences, they become awkward.
The nearly 100-minute “Just A Job” can be roughly divided into two parts: The first half pays homage to the Japanese film “Mondays:”, depicting a team at a major corporation trapped in an endless loop within their project cycle. Unless they produce an outstanding solution, they remain stuck in this cycle indefinitely; The latter half breaks the loop and enters a workplace tragicomedy phase, unleashing a barrage of “working stiffs’ cries”—akin to a more anguished version of “Johnny Keep Walking!”
The film’s first half is undeniably more compelling. The “endless workplace loop” concept allows multiple iterations to showcase varying employee mentalities and countless possibilities. Even if the narrative and performances lean more toward variety show than cinema, it delivers ample entertainment.
However, when the second half truly tests originality, “Just A Job” quickly falters. It follows the predictable pattern of rising and falling, trope-driven corporate exploitation and worker awakening, culminating in a rushed resolution through yet another loop.
Is it wrong to advocate “no unlimited overtime, enforce an eight-hour workday, companies must respect workers, and workers must uphold self-respect”? Of course not. But pleasing audiences is an art. Shouting simplistic slogans that anyone can understand may be effective, but it’s not sophisticated, has low creative potential, and essentially mirrors the nature of certain lowbrow, politically correct propaganda pieces. It also risks making many target viewers uncomfortable.
After watching “Just A Job,” I realized why “Johnny Keep Walking!” resonated so deeply. Within the same theme, it uses a larger, more cohesive comedic narrative to dissolve the bitterness of workplace chaos and the paternalistic tone of worker advocacy. This allows audiences to embrace the workplace-themed soul massage with greater ease and comfort.
“Just A Job” occupies the same creative niche, but this particular piece delivers a massage that stings—like a candy that tastes sweet yet carries a hint of bitterness.