Working Man

Working Man

Directed by Robert Jury
U.S. | 2018 | Narrative
108 minutes | English

“Working Man” is a classic American story set in an all-too-contemporary world. When the last factory in a small Rust Belt town closes its doors, an unlikely hero emerges in dutiful, quiet Allery Parkes (Peter Gerety of “The Wire”). A career employee of the factory, the aging Allery can’t envision simply sitting at home doing nothing, and against the advice and pleas of his loving wife (Oscar nominee Talia Shire of “Rocky”), he forms an unlikely friendship with his charismatic neighbor (Billy Brown of “How to Get Away with Murder”) to revive the defunct factory. As the community rallies around them — and as the former corporate bosses strategize how to halt this unexpected movement —  Allery learns that he might be something he never thought possible: a leader. The Hollywood Reporter writes: “The plight of people living in the Rust Belt — many of whom helped to determine the results of the 2016 election — is at the center of Robert Jury’s affecting drama ‘Working Man,’ which deserves attention for the fine performances at the center of this well drawn canvas.”