The Measure of a Man
An unemployed French factory worker confronts a punishing job market while trying to preserve his family's security and his own dignity.
Overview
A poignant exploration of the human spirit in the face of adversity and economic struggle.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- austere
- melancholic
- restrained
- reflective viewing
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a heartrending, beautifully acted piece of social realism that uses one man's job hunt to illuminate the human cost of the global economy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Thierry's unemployment, job search, benefits process, and attempts to support his family structure the film's central conflict.
The working-class French setting and job-hunting encounters are presented with observational naturalism and minimal stylization.
Thierry repeatedly confronts employment services, training systems, and workplace surveillance while trying to preserve his dignity.
Thierry's efforts to find work and care for his family are treated as matters of personal worth as well as financial survival.
Films like The Measure of a Man, and why
I, Daniel Blake
shared social realism, working-class precarity, restrained naturalistic performances, and economic injustice
The Employment of the Times
shared french social realism, unemployment themes, quiet emotional intensity, and intimate working-class drama
Rosetta
shared observational realism, labor exploitation, moral pressure, and focus on an ordinary worker's dignity
Two Days, One Night
shared austere realism, economic hardship, family strain, and empathetic character-centered storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Stéphane Brizé
- Release Date
- 2015-05-19
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (379)
Cast
- Vincent Lindon
- Karine de Mirbeck
- Mathieu Schaller
- Yves Ory
- Xavier Mathieu
- Noel Mairot
- Catherine Saint-Bonnet
- Christophe Rossignon
- Soufiane Guerrab
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Kino Film Collection
- Rent
- Amazon Video, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Measure of a Man about?
- An unemployed French factory worker confronts a punishing job market while trying to preserve his family's security and his own dignity.
- What is The Measure of a Man like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Measure of a Man as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Measure of a Man violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Measure of a Man.
- What did critics think of The Measure of a Man?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a heartrending, beautifully acted piece of social realism that uses one man's job hunt to illuminate the human cost of the global economy.
- Which films are like The Measure of a Man?
- Films with a similar feel include I, Daniel Blake, The Employment of the Times, Rosetta, and Two Days, One Night.
- How long is The Measure of a Man?
- The Measure of a Man runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Measure of a Man?
- In United States, The Measure of a Man streams on Kino Film Collection.
