Plot

Larry Crowne, happily employed at a pseudo-Walmart, thinks he’s going to receive Employee of the Month at the beginning of the story.  Instead, he’s laid off as he lacks a college degree which thrusts him into the new box on the organizational chart called “no longer fit for the job.”  The HR lady is cold and the employee with the SMU degree leers pompously since he’s staying while Larry is left out in the cold.

Larry needs money.  He sells his house and many of his possessions, moves to a small apartment and goes back to college to further his education and position in life.  Along the way a sweet, young, pretty co-ed helps him dress a little less geeky. He returns the favor by helping her start a retail boutique.  He decides to ride a motor scooter and tries to sell his expensive SUV.  He lands a job as a cook through a friend to help support himself.  He falls for his professor in college.

What’s Right?

Anyone who has heard my presentations for job seekers knows I would approve of Larry’s march towards success.  He down sizes quickly, selling almost all his possessions.  Larry improves his appearance and upgrades his skills through classes to help him advance professionally.  By helping his friend he meets others and has some fun.  Although the scene where he provides his records to the bank to declare bankruptcy might have been sad, the blond actress played her role with the right amount of surprise and disdain, demonstrating the irony of our current, erratic economy.  Larry didn’t hesitate to use his prior cooking skills to support himself, let go of his home and try something new, when he couldn’t find retail management.  He listened and grew from the experience.

What’s Wrong?

The romance in the movie added some humor and a little love in what could have been a very bleak story.  Most of us know that Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are friends and they probably are making a mountain of money by inserting a bit of fluff which in another movie was called Fatal Attraction.  But the truth is, finding a new partner to play with during job search is not a good idea.  Larry needed to stay focused on the future JOB, not a girlfriend.  Unemployed people need friends but developing a new relationship while grieving for the loss of your business family is not a great idea, as too much change at once can lead a person down a very rocky road.

Larry didn’t seem to have any children, step-children, aged parents or siblings.  So many people today have financial AND family obligations that make returning to school very difficult.  Having to sell your kids’ possessions and move to a homeless shelter was not a part of this fluffy film.  The fear, angst, roller coaster of unemployment was superficial, at best.

Should you see it?

If you love Julia Roberts or Tom Hanks (as I do), you may want to see Larry Crowne.  Laugh a little, commiserate if you’re in transition, but don’t expect this to win any Oscars.

What can we learn?

If you are in Human Resources, you might want to see it as a reminder that if you must lay off people, do so with as much grace as you can muster.  If you appear uncaring and cold, it may haunt you when it happens to you. And it’s rarely easy for anyone concerned.

If you are a job seeker, you may take notice of Larry’s very positive outlook and action, despite the reality of the market place and the need to realize you may be obliged to find a different type of job.

If you are a hiring manager, I urge you to consider hiring the unemployed.  If you only hire employed people, our economy cannot improve.  If you’ve never experienced unemployment, you may not understand how difficult it is not to ever hear a response after an interview or know the extreme effort in preparing the perfect resume.  You are missing a tremendous opportunity if you discriminate against people in transition.  It happens to good people every day.  You could be next.  Let’s get more people back to work!

I’m glad I saw the show.  It was not whiny, tear jerker, but carries a sincere message of encouragement.  And it’s a reminder that we need to do more to help those in transition find new opportunities.

Note: I’ll be speaking at Watermark Church on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. on July 19, which is located at 7540 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, Dallas, TX 75251.  Title of the interactive presentation is Driving Your Job Search to Work.