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Jens Albinus, Peter Gantzler, Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Benedikt Erlingsson, Iben Hjejle ... see more see more... , Henrik Prip , Mia Lyhne , Casper Christensen , Louise Mieritz , Jean-Marc Barr , Sofie Gråbøl , Anders Hove

Lars von Trier's black comedy The Boss of It All (Direktøren for Det Hele) concerns an IT company owner who -- in need of a figurehead to "hide behind" when confronted with employee problems -- invent... read more read more...ed the personage of a CEO during the startup period for his corporation. The scheme worked for a surprisingly long period, but when the time arrives to sell the business, massive problems arise -- for the prospective buyers insist on only negotiating with the CEO, in person. Thus, the owner further extends the ruse, by hiring a down-and-out actor to impersonate the chief officer. With Direktøren for Det Hele, von Trier uses a new means of filmmaking for this film: Automavision, whereby filming is done with an "automatic randomized camera" that selects the shots. It became a means for Von Trier to "clean up" his approach to directorial work and reconnect with his own love of filmmaking. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

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68% liked it

6,403 ratings

Critics

74% liked it

65 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Lars von Trier

Release Date: April 13, 2007

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DVD Release Date: September 18, 2007

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Stats: 591 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (591)

  • ceWEBrity
    December 24, 2010
    ceWEBrity
    I think The Boss of it All is the only von Trier film I truly dislike. Breaking the Waves was another, initially, and though I definitely still have my misgivings about it a second viewing sort of brought me around on the film's merits. This is a marginally clever treatment of vi... read moreewership and an unconventional look at comedy in general, but in the scope of his filmography I don't think it really offers anything new. The idea of him creating a comedy so heavily reliant on cliche that he himself has to apologize through narration for the film is sort of interesting, but the novelty doesn't sustain 98 minutes' worth of viewing.

    It's funny how intent can so radically change a comedy's reception. This is, all told, the most generic office comedy of errors you could possibly imagine, and some people seem to think it's exceptionally funny. It's really not even remotely on its own terms, with von Trier's lampshading providing the only real chuckles, and even that isn't all that inspired. Not recommended, unless you're hellbent on watching all of his films.
  • SirPant
    November 2, 2010
    SirPant
    Unlike many, I don't feel The Boss of it all is a departure from Von Trier's typical work or that it's his worst to date. It reminds me a lot of The Idiots in many ways, probably helped by the brilliant performance by Jens Albinus but also because it's just as funny, often uncomf... read moreortably so. It is probably destined to be compared with The Office though, a lazy comparison of an over-hyped series.
  • arashxak
    March 16, 2009
    arashxak
    Pretentious & unengaging, Comedy,Von Trier style
  • gor41
    September 14, 2008
    gor41
    Disappointing update to the Dogme school restrictions with an automavision shooting system. Von Trier may have found it an interesting technical exercise but it added nothing to the format for me. The sense of humor is assumably hilarious in Denmark but it didn't tickle me. The p... read morelot loses its tenuous grip on reality altogether at the end.
  • gator681
    June 11, 2007
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]"The Boss of It All" is a surprisingly deft comedy by Lars von Trier about an actor, Kristoffer(Jens Albinus), who is hired to impersonate the imaginary boss of a software company by the real boss, Ravn(Peter Gantzler), to seal a deal.(Ravn invented the imagi... read morenary boss, so none of the tough decisions would be blamed on him. He just wants to be liked, like everybody else.) But the meeting goes awry, and Kristoffer has to keep the charade up for a week, while the deal is completed...[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]Along with being a critique of corporate culture, "The Boss of It All" is also an example of Lars von Trier taking aim at actors.(To be honest, I've never known any director to have a kind word about actors.) But he also turns the camera on himself, quite literally in a couple of instances, and by admitting the thinness of Ravn's plan(yes Kristoffer is a bit of a numbskull, but he definitely could have used more information to go on), he also admits to the weaknesses in his script which does not have an especially strong plot and the ending is rather awkward. [/font]
  • jes25924
    June 27, 2008
    jes25924
    Even when trying to make a frivolous film, Lars Von Trier still makes a minor classic, swimming in themes of pretension and acting, wanting to be liked, the hierarchies of power, exploitation, and cinematic comedy itself. A man who owns a company, wants to sell up, but in is a bi... read morend, because he created an imaginary president to take the blame for all stern management decisions, and now his buyer will only speak with the president. He hires an incredibly pretentious actor to do the one time gig, but things go wrong when he accidentally introduces himself to the employees, and has to spend a week riding out the role, till the deal is complete.

    There's narration in the opening of the movie about this being a an attempt to make a non-political comedy(it fails), that pokes fun at "artsy -fartsy culture"(success)" and that alone was enough to make me want to stop. But this is the trick of all films by this guy, their grueling at times, but also strangely magnetic, and the end is always, always worth the wait, and there's no difference h ere.

    The "Automotovision" is a bit distracting at first, but I forgot it was there for the most part, all of the actors, two from another Trier film "The Idiots", and Iben Hjejle (of High Fidelity), give great performances. Though Trier makes plenty of use of location changes, at ironic times, the cinema, the Mary go round, etc.

    Iben Hjejle at one point says "life's like a dogma film, it's hard to hear the words sometimes but there still there", and that's an example of Trier's self mockery as much, as a good rule for viewing the movie in general, don't mind the camera, keep an eye of the characters. Enormously entertaining, and maybe brilliant.
  • kubrickian
    July 5, 2007
    kubrickian
    It was funny. At times, VERY funny. However, as one would expect from Lars von Trier, it is experimental. So he takes risks that don't always work. With a shot though.

View All The Boss of it All (Direktøren for det hele) Reviews

Critic Reviews

John Monaghan
September 14, 2007
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

In the humor department, The Boss of It All elicits few belly laughs but lots of thoughtful chuckles. Full Review

Andrea Gronvall
September 14, 2007
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader

Scenes are thus punctuated by as many jump cuts as punch lines--a technique that amplifies the sly humor. Full Review

Bill Stamets
July 23, 2007
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times

Perverse humor pervades the films of Lars von Trier. Full Review

Michael Phillips
July 14, 2007
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Bone-dry but completely assured, both in its visual strategy and its wry deconstruction of the workplace comedy genre. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
July 13, 2007
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

How fitting for the film that a computer is calling the shots. But how disappointing for us that it can't punch up a script. Full Review

Stephen Cole
July 13, 2007
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail

Here's hoping Lars von Trier's retirement will be brief. Cinema needs meddlesome provocateurs. An occasional stone in the shoe keeps us alert. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
June 29, 2007
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Not quite funny enough, and it's undermined by its camera technique. Full Review

Kirk Honeycutt
June 15, 2007
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

A surprisingly light-hearted though nonetheless devilish spirit.

Kevin Thomas
June 14, 2007
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

A sly, clever office comedy that also finds humor in long-standing tensions between Danes and Icelanders. Full Review

Ty Burr
June 1, 2007
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Who knew the man had a workplace comedy in him, let alone one this sharp? Full Review

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