TIFF 2021: The Odd-Job Men
TIFF 2021Neus Ballús' The Odd-Job Men is a subtle buddy-comedy about a group of tradesmen. Set in Barcelona, much of the film is seen through the eyes of Mohamed (Mohamed Mellali), an immigrant from Morocco, as he endures a week-long trial at a plumbing and electrical repair company. The film is a wonderfully authentic portrait of the working-class, and so rooted in realism that the characters share the same names as their actors. The Odd-Job Men also works to explore the machismo culture prevalent in Spain, as well as the prejudices endured by immigrants.
Mohamed, who is quickly dubbed “Moha” by his new co-workers, is intended to be a replacement for Pep (Pep Sarrà), who is deeply looking forward to retirement after decades at this repair company. Pep is rather reserved and serves as the mediator between Moha and the other repairman, Valero (Valero Escolar). Valero is understandably upset over Pep’s retirement and takes out his frustrations on Moha, often resorting to anti-immigrant prejudices and slurs. He has a problem with every little thing Moha does, but all of the customers quickly developing a liking for the tranquil and patient Moha. As the job trial continues over the week, Valero must see whether he can abandon his animosity towards Moha.
Neus Ballús crafts a beautiful little film in The Odd-Job Men; the quirky realism works incredibly well to translate its themes of masculinity and acceptance. Much of the film is delivered through a series of vignettes of Moha and Valero interacting with each other and slowly coming to accept that they will be working together when the week is finally over. There is a lot of humour to be found in these scenes as the two characters banter with each other, but they also start to become tedious due to The Odd-Job Men’s repetitive nature. Ballús film also comes across as a pseudo-documentary, many of the scenes are shot handheld and capture much of the working-class neighbourhoods of Barcelona, which adds to the authentic nature of the film.
The Odd-Job Men holds nothing back when it comes to conveying the film’s themes of masculinity and prejudice. Valero is, frankly, a mean-spirited character and sees nothing wrong with the way he treats Moha. Valero’s actions are rooted in the machismo culture, as he is often brutish and demonstrates a strong sense of pride in being manly, and his dismissal of Moha usually relates to some sort of weakness. In an effort to remain professional, Moha usually brushes off Valero’s remarks but does reveal his hurt to his roommates when he is off the job. Moha does his best to fit into his new Barcelona culture, learning Spanish and even attending classes after work to learn Catalan. The Odd-Job Men works so well because of the change that each character manages to undergo throughout the week: both of the men come to accept each other’s differences as, in the end, despite our differences we are all interconnected.
While The Odd-Job Men falls victim to being overstuffed at times, its strong character interactions and realism make for a solid reflection on masculinity. It is a lovely little portrait of the working-class, as well as a gentle and sincere journey of acceptance of one’s neighbours.