The Tip of the Iceberg (2016) Poster

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7/10
Interesting and intriguing drama with fine actors , appropriate photography and nice direction
ma-cortes28 November 2017
Intelligent picture with exciting battles of wits , including excellent acting and provoking issues . A top-notch cast under superb direction by Daniel Cánovas makes this movie above average in every aspect . A large multinational company is shaken by the suicide of three employees : Marcelo Miralles (Ginés García Millán) , Eduardo Rus (Zoe Berriatúa) and Andrés Miró (Fermín Fernández) , all of them committed suicide themselves by slashing , gunning and throwing from a high floor . The company sends a director , Sofia Cuevas (Maribel Verdú) , she is a CEO who is sent to her former business branch after three hard-working employees committed suicide in a period of five months . Sofia meets some of the employees , such as Gabriela Benassar (Bárbara Goenaga) , and discovering one of them is her friend and ex lover Alejandro García (Carmelo Gómez) , as well as her his old friend , the barman Carmelo Luis (Jesús Castejón) who informs her about the suicide people . Later on , Sofía travels to the main building , to the management staff , meeting the head-director Carlos Fresno (Fernando Cayo) and shortly after Sofía interviews the superior staff of the company formed by Enzo Martelli (Carlo D'Ursi) , Angel Torres (Juan Fernández) , among others . Sofia is warned about the investigation is too risked to be terminated , and things go wrong .

The film provided a strong denounce against the strict companies and stiff-upper-lip multinationals that carry out extreme psychological pressing , abusive labouring methods used to motivate staff and impossible projects with unrealistic deadlines . This is a brooding film in which there is a psychological intense studio of top executives and employees to work under rigid tensions , there is developed The Project Iceberg , a pathogenic form of management where the individual is relegated to a minor role and the only priority is the bottom line ; however , the name of the company never is revealed , as well as the products they make . The main premises are the followings : Three suicides have been committed being possible that the three deaths could be unrelated , and the investigator woman at the beginning reluctant to fulfill the job , but subsequently the cunning CEO looking for the truth and she starts to doubt the reasons given for the three suicides ; is it the result of unstable minds or perhaps these three suicides could be related to a conspiracy within the company? , and what are the real reasons that lead a man to suicide? . There are battles of wits among varied groups of employees and management staff as their priorities , ethics and loyalty are put trough stressing tests . It results to be a deep as well as engaging exam about the abuse in working . Though the whole movie is set in office rooms it never lacks for taut , suspense , intrigue and inspired filmmaking . It happens a real struggle behind closed doors , it turns out to be to be tense , charged and riveting . The picture has the best elements of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross , Neil LaBute's In the company of men , Sidney Lumet's 12 angry Men and Marcelo Pineyro's El Metodo . It was splendidly directed with an extraordinary plethora of actors who give awesome performances . The acting level of the cast during some of the intense discussions and debates almost bursts in the screen . The movie can be used in business schools and workshops to illustrate working dynamics and conflicts between employees and chiefs . Maribel Verdú gives a good interpretation as CEO in charge of conducting an internal investigation , discovering an unhealthy work environment and a complex framework at the high-tech company . Very good acting by a Spanish-all-support cast , such as : Carmelo Gómez , Fernando Cayo , Bárbara Goenaga , Juan Fernández , Itziar Atienza , Álex García and Nieve De Medina .

Thought-provoking as well as interesting writing credits by José Amaro Carrillo , Alberto García Martín , and director David Cánovas himself based on the play by Antonio Tabares whose brilliant play was left virtually intact in its move to feature film . It packs an adequate and colorful cinematography by Juán Carlos Gómez who has photographed hits as ¨AzulOscurocasinegro¨, ¨La Gran Familia Española¨, ¨Elsa Y Fred¨, El Bola¨ . The motion picture was compellingly directed by David Cánovas at his film debut . He is a good writer/producer/director who previously made shorts as ¨Contratiempo¨, ¨Odio¨, ¨Intruso¨ , ¨Estoy Prohibido¨ and ¨Archivos Del Ministerio Del Tiempo¨ TV series .
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7/10
Corporate bullying, cultural awareness and suicide
andrewscate12 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This Spanish film revealed that corporate culture advocates bullying: the capacity to make a choice is like existing within the mafia's stronghold: choices are made for business connections and financial gain. Personal - emotional and social choices - in this film were bullied, filmed, blackmailed and denied a voice to speak out about the corporate culture. Suicide was discussed as something that statistically Finland experiences more and if Spain was Japan then the number of suicides would be accepted and acknowledged within their culture. In Spain, there was the need to know as well as to cover up the reasons and motives. Bulling for some often feels like complicity - did you play a role and accept this role or were you coerced and how do you identify this coercion? The discussion provoked by this film was worth it. Rethinking corporate culture as well as bullying was a gift from the filmmaker beyond the box office.

Suicide is a topic that shouldn't remain cold, at a distance and individual as a "choice". The role of others needs further exploration in our culture.
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