The Employer (2013)

Okay, okay...
Look, look, I did it.
I pulled this out of the wall.
Come on! We can both do this,
we can get out of here. Come on!
Come on! Come on, come help me.
Help me! Come on!
Look, what if I was to tell
you...
that you were laid off from your
last company because of us?
I don't understand.
Well, your company was taken
over by Carcharias.
I mean, it was nothing personal,
but we had to downsize.
Corputech was owned by
Carcharias? I never heard that.
Well, of course not.
Because that's what we do.
Buy and sell companies.
Asset strip.
That's impressive.
Yes, it is impressive.
So, when this position became available,
for an analyst, we thought of you.
Amongst all the others.
Who...
It's okay! It's okay!
It's okay! It's okay.
Oh, my...
It's okay.
All right then. Before we wrap
up here, any questions for me?
No, sir. I think I know everything
I need to know at this point.
All right, last question:
Is there anything you wouldn't
be willing to do for this company?
No, sir.
Are you sure?
So, how'd you
How'd you get here?
Someone attacked me last night at my
apartment. I don't know. What about you?
I was having drinks with my
sister. And then, we hailed a cab.
And then, this limo driver pulled
up and asked if I wanted a ride.
And I refused. And then, um
Did he put a cloth
over your mouth?
Yeah. I think he did.
Me, too. Must have been like,
chloroform or something. Why?
I don't know.
Um, I'm Sandra, by the way.
James.
What's that?
Nothing. I, um I was looking
to see if I had my phone.
They took it, of course.
My wallet, too.
Do you think this is like, a kidnapping, or
something, like they're holding us for ransom?
I'm not worth anything.
You've got to be worth something to someone.
I mean, do you have any rich family members?
No, I don't have any.
Rich or poor.
So maybe it's not
a ransom thing.
What do you make of these?
It looks like some kind of bank
vault, or something.
Hey.
What the hell?
It's okay, it's okay-
Where am I?
It's a room. It's locked.
It's... um...
I'm Sandra, this is James.
We just woke up, too. Well,
I can tell you one thing...
If you get hired by this company, you
will never ever want of another job.
Would you really be willing
to hire somebody...
with no real world business
experience for this position?
Probably not.
But you never know.
I mean, as you know because of your
report, all the candidates for jobs here...
they all have extensive
experience in the business world.
However, because of your in-depth
knowledge of our company...
we almost have to hire you,
don't we?
I mean, just to keep
our secrets safe.
Well, either way,
your secrets are safe with me.
I'm sure they are.
So how do we get out
of this shit hole?
That door is solid.
Stop it. Stop it, stop it!
Get the fuck off me!
Are you okay?
Calm down.
Well we're running out of time here.
So, anything you want to ask me?
Yeah. When can I start?
Well, if you get through your
next interview...
then you could be employed
almost immediately.
What do you want from me?
Just for you to cool it.
No one here is gonna hurt you,
we're all friends. Right, James?
I hope so. But we haven't
gotten your name yet.
I'm Billie. That girl you hit
over there, that's Sandra.
We're not yet acquainted with
the big guy in the corner.
Now, what's your name?
It's Keith.
Is there anything specific that you'll
be looking for in this next interview?
No, you just keep that boyish
enthusiasm alive think you can do that?
Shit. This guy's bleeding.
We gotta stop that.
Where are we? SANDRA: We don't know.
We're trapped in here. There's locks on
the door. Four of them. Combination locks.
Is he dead?
Not yet.
Billie. Is that some kind
of dyke name?
The fuck is your problem?
Whoa, you guys, cool it.
We need to stick
together here, okay?
We're being watched.
What?
Look up there.
Son of a bitch.
Is that a camera?
Yes, it is.
How do you know?
Because I don't live under a rock.
I used to do security systems.
Can they hear us?
Possibly. I mean, there'd have to be
a mic someplace. It could be anywhere.
Like through that vent.
What do they want with us?
Maybe they're sick fucks
who get off on this.
Maybe they're gonna gas us.
Maybe that's what the vent's for.
No, if they wanted us dead,
we'd be dead by now.
So what do they want?
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
What?
They took my fucking cigarettes.
That is your biggest problem
right now?
Yeah. It is. I'm a pack
a day kinda guy.
It helps me deal with stress. And this happens
to be a pretty fucking stressful situation.
Well, maybe now's your chance
to quit.
I happen to like being a smoker.
I like the taste.
I like the way
it smells on my clothes.
And I especially like the fact
that it pisses off non-smokers.
You got a problem with that?
I didn't say anything.
You know,
I have a right to smoke.
And if it takes off ten years out of
my life, at least it's the back ten.
Hey, can you hear me?
And the beefcake makes five.
Now it's a party.
What's your name?
Mike.
What really aggravates you
in this world?
You know, like really
pisses you off?
I don't like it when people
judge a book by it's cover.
How so?
When someone makes judgments
about someone else...
like how much money they have, or how
smart they are, based on appearances only.
That really sets me off.
How's your head?
Still hurts.
Yeah, it was bleeding before,
but Billie, she bandaged it up.
Thank you.
How did you get all banged up?
Last night, I got jumped by like
five guys who came to my house.
I fought back, hard.
Got a few good hits in, and then they pinned
me down and they put a rag over my mouth.
Did you recognize any of them?
No, no, I just assumed it was some
random thugs trying to rob my house.
Maybe that's it. Maybe we were
all just chosen at random.
I had a job interview today, too. Maybe when
I don't show, they'll know something's wrong.
Who's the job with?
A company I'm sure you've
never heard of.
Try me.
Carcharias Corporation.
Oh, my God.
I'm up for a job there, too.
Yeah, so am I. I was supposed
to have my third interview today.
Get the fuck out of here.
You, too?
I guess we found our connection.
You know, I can see an egghead like
you being up for a job like that...
but you're not telling me the rest
of you are Carcharias material?
Yes, that's exactly
what we're telling you.
So what are your qualifications?
I'm co-owner of a company that
doubled their profits every quarter...
for three years before they
went public. What about you?
I've been a partner in a consulting
firm for the past five years.
I've owned my own consulting
firm for seven.
Oh, you got time in between
weight lifting events for that?
Whoa, hey.
Whoa.
Let's get this straight, okay?
I work out to stay in shape.
That's it.
So stop fucking with me!
No problem.
Or I will kick your ass.
Yeah, I got it.
So how about you?
Yeah, I'll kick your ass, too.
I meant, why are you
up for the job?
I don't know. Maybe because
I wrote my thesis on Carcharias.
Are you serious?
Yeah.
At least now I know
who I'm up against.
I'm the least qualified person
here.
I mean, I've been unemployed
for the last six months...
I sent them my resume and they
called me in for an interview.
But, I don't know.
They told me that I was exactly
what they were looking for.
Now I don't know what to think.
Okay, so we're all applying
for the same job.
But what does that mean?
Did you hear that?
Where's that coming from?
Does someone have a phone?
It's up there.
Why is there a phone
in the vent?
Who cares? If we can get it,
we can call for help.
Here, James, boost me up.
How?
Just kneel down, and then I'm
going to get up on your knees.
Let me guess,
cheerleader in college?
High school.
I hate cheerleaders.
It's screwed shut.
Here. Use this to try
to loosen the screws.
Why do you have that?
I always keep one hidden.
Just in case.
Ding, ding, ding.
Brains and brawn.
He's got the whole package.
It's working! Got it.
Is there a phone up there?
Yep.
We should call 911.
What if it's a trick?
One way to find out.
There's something
not right about this.
911. What's your emergency?
We gotta get the fuck
out of here!
Hey, calm down, all right?
Give me the phone.
No, I've got this.
Give me the phone!
No!
Stop it! Give it to me.
You talk to them.
Hello?
Sir, if this
is not an emergency-
No, no, it is. We've been
kidnapped. There's five of us.
What's your name and location?
James Harris.
I don't know my location.
We need you to trace this phone
call and figure out where we are.
I can't do that, sir.
I'll transfer you to the police
department. Hold on.
Hello?
What's going on?
There's an incoming call.
Answer it.
No, don't answer it.
Do something.
I mean, it could be someone
who wants to help.
What about the police?
Find out who it
is, and then switch back.
Hello?
Get rid of the
police. Say it was a prank.
They'll try calling back
but it won't work.
That phone can only receive
calls from me.
Do you understand?
Yes.
Then do what I
say and get rid of that cop.
Or very bad things
will happen to you guys.
What is it?
Hello? Is
this some kind of joke?
Yes, it is. Fuck you, pig.
What are you doing?
All right. I did it.
Now, I want you
to put me on speaker phone...
so that the others can hear
what I have to say.
I must warn you that involving the
authorities in any way is strictly against the rules.
Not to mention useless,
as I assure you...
that phone
is quite untraceable.
And it's been programmed to only
allow a total of five outgoing calls.
Of which you now have four left.
This was meant as a courtesy
to your loved ones.
So choose your remaining
calls wisely. Who are you?
I'm the one who's been interviewing
you all week. All of you.
What do you want from us?
Are any of you
familiar with the Sand Tiger Shark?
It's native to the waters of Australia and
one of the most fascinating creatures...
on the planet, not only for its
legendary fierceness,
but also because of its unique
means of reproduction.
When this particular shark
becomes pregnant...
she conceives a half dozen offspring
all together in the same womb.
So the pups are forced to feed
off each other in order to survive.
We at Carcharias want the same
killer instinct for our employees.
From our interview process, we've determined
that you're all qualified to join us.
But there's only room for one.
The one who walks out of that door.
As you can see, it has four
combination locks.
When this call is over, you'll
want to keep that phone handy.
Because when one of you expires, I will
call back with the first set of digits...
which will open the first
of the four locks.
When the second one dies, I will call
with the second combination and so forth...
until all four locks are
opened...
and the most ruthless
among you...
opens the door to freedom and
your new career at Carcharias.
I'll leave you to it now...
confident that natural selection
will dictate the outcome.
Hello? Hello?
This has got to be
some kind of joke.
Call him back.
No, no, don't. He said that we
only had four outgoing calls left.
We do that,
we're down to three.
You guys think it's for real?
You think Carcharias really
wants us to kill each other?
Why not?
You really think that's how they
hire all their employees?
That's bullshit. There's no way.
I mean, people would go missing,
others would go looking for them...
eventually it would
come back to Carcharias.
Not necessarily.
Why not?
Because low profile is what they do. They
are the best at staying under the radar.
Tell me something.
When you were working on that
thesis of yours...
did you happen to learn anything
about their hiring practices?
As a matter of fact, I couldn't
find a damn thing about it.
But I did learn that no one has
ever left the company.
I assumed it was because
they liked it so much.
What about the families
of the victims?
Is anyone here married?
Any kids?
That's what I thought.
That's why we were picked.
Now that you mention it...
I don't recall reading anything about
anyone at Carcharias having a family.
I mean, of course not.
That way we won't be missed.
Hey, speak for yourself,
all right?
Oh yeah, like the world can't do
with one less muscle head.
Whoa!
Keep it up.
And you will be first.
Guys, no one is first. No
one is killing anyone in here.
We're gonna figure out some
other way out of this, okay?
Listen, I for one don't think that there's
any reason to believe what he told us.
But you recognized
his voice, right?
He was the guy that interviewed
you, me and everyone else.
Sure, but I mean, come on,
the rules, the locks.
There's no guarantee that he's
even going to call us...
or that the combinations he
would give us would even work.
He'll call.
And they'll work.
Why do you say that?
Because it all makes sense.
I mean, think about it.
They want the most ruthless one
of us to join them.
I mean, it's like how they used to pick the next
Catholic Pope, back in the Holy Roman Empire.
They'd take all the nominated Bishops and they'd
lock them in the Sistine Chapel together...
to fight it out until
there was only one left.
And it was believed that the one who
survived was ordained and chosen by God.
You know?
It makes sense, right?
That's exactly the kind of fucked up shit
you'd expect from the Catholic Church.
You got something
against Catholics?
Yeah, I do.
If you're one of them.
Hey! Yo, stop it!
Please, Mike. Mike!
See? This is exactly
what they want.
They want us to fight
among ourselves...
until their fucked up plan
starts to make sense, okay?
You got a better idea?
We're gonna stick together...
and figure out some way out of
this without killing each other.
How?
We have to agree to not
do it their way.
And then maybe there's a chance
that we could live through this.
Or we could all die in here.
We have a phone. He said that we
could make four calls with it.
He also said it's untraceable.
And no police.
But maybe we could call our friends
and let them know what's going on.
And then we'd have a chance to try to
crack the code to one of those bolts.
Or find some other way
out of here.
I mean, we've got to work
together on this, okay?
He's right.
It's worth a shot.
Let's make a pact.
No one dies.
Are we agreed?
Let's say, you're asked to speak on behalf of
Carcharias before a group of shareholders...
from a company
that we have a bid on.
The president stands up
to introduce you...
but because of some
terrible mix up...
not only does he get your name
completely wrong...
but he says that you're from a
different organization entirely.
So, you get a round of applause
as you make your way to the podium.
You look out,
the room is packed.
The stage is yours.
What do you do?
Sounds like an anxiety dream.
I have those all the time.
No dream. What do you do?
I would ignore it. I'm not there
to promote myself, or Carcharias.
I'm there to convince them that
the time to sell is now.
So why would I risk embarrassing
the president of their company?
I highly doubt any of those people
are going to remember my name anyway.
Indeed.
All right, next question:
What really aggravates you?
You mean like a pet peeve?
Yeah, if you like.
Pet peeve. Why not?
I don't think I have one.
Don't have one?
There must be something.
Well, I try to not let things aggravate me,
you know? I try to roll with the punches.
Ah. So you're sort of saying, "live
and let live" kinda thing, is that it?
Exactly.
That's good to know. Well, maybe you
can show that in your next interview.
I'm moving on?
Looks like it, doesn't it?
Oh, one more thing: If you're
chosen for this job...
is there anything that you wouldn't
be willing to do for this company?
Well, I suppose it depends
on the situation.
Yes. I suppose it would.
Thanks.
Hi.
James Harris?
Do I know you?
No.
Are we agreed?
I'm agreed.
Yeah, me too.
Yeah, sure. No killing.
I'm down with that. Just, what
about muscle head over there?
Fine.
Good. So who wants
to make a call?
Who you gonna call?
My mom.
What's so funny?
Tough guy's a momma's boy.
I could have guessed.
What's your fucking problem?
My problem is that I feel
like absolute dog shit.
Well, I got my head cracked in,
probably a broken rib...
getting jumped by five guys
last night. What's your excuse?
I need a fucking cigarette.
I thought you were
gonna call your mom?
Changed my mind.
You sure?
Maybe later.
Okay. Anyone else?
I could try my sister.
I think I know the number.
Hi, you've
reached Christina. Sorry I missed you.
Hey, it's Sandra.
I know you don't normally answer your
phone, but I really needed you to this time.
Look, I can't explain it right
now, but you can't call me back...
and I don't know if I'm going
to be able to call you again.
But if I do, please pick up,
okay? Just
Okay... bye.
Fuck this. You know, why don't
we just bust down the door, huh?
We already tried that.
No, you tried. I'm saying,
let's all work it over together.
Hell, Mike could probably smash
through the wall...
if he took a running start, huh Mike?
Huh? What did I tell you about that?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember, I
remember. You'll kill me first.
But we got a pact now to be friends,
right? So fuck you very much.
Would you say that you're the kind
of person who has a short fuse?
I've actually got a long fuse.
It's just that at the end of it is
a pretty big stick of dynamite...
if you know what I mean.
Oh, yes. I think
I know what you mean.
Wait. Maybe it's for the best.
Maybe we should just let him.
What are you saying? I'm saying
he brought this on himself.
No, we can't. If we start down that road,
there's no turning back. If he dies, we all die.
James is right.
We've got to stop this.
Billie, let him go.
Did you see that?
He tried to kill me.
He was really gonna do it.
I'm sorry.
I wasn't thinking.
So, Mike.
You're a pretty fit guy.
If you had to stop working out
to take this job...
would you still want to work
here at this company?
What do you mean?
You know, like, I don't know,
running, swimming, weight lifting.
Physical exercise. If you
weren't allowed to do it anymore.
Why would I have to give up
physical exercise?
It's a hypothetical, Mike.
I've never been good
with hypotheticals.
Like on math tests...
if two trains are headed towards
each other at different speeds...
they'll ask when
will they hit, right?
But I say, if you know they're
going to hit eventually...
and there's no way to stop them,
it doesn't matter when.
I mean, who cares?
The important thing is to get the
people off the train, you know?
This is not an aptitude test. Your company's
track record speaks for itself, Mike.
I'm sorry.
I've just never been much
of a test taker.
That's why I went
into business for myself.
So why would you want
to join us, then?
Honestly, to make more money.
And you will make more money.
If you can beat out
the other candidates.
But first, you have to get through the
interview next week. You think you can do that?
I sure hope so.
All right then, well, um
one last question.
If chosen to work here...
is there anything you wouldn't
be willing to do for this company?
Hypothetically?
No. Literally.
I guess not.
You don't sound very sure.
I can't think of anything.
All right, excellent.
Thank you.
I'm going to set something up
for you next week, is that okay?
Yes, sir.
Good.
Who is it?
Delivery.
Oh, God!
Oh, shit!
He provoked me.
He did it on purpose.
You all heard him earlier.
He admires this whole
fucking thing.
He's manipulated you
to turn against me.
It's part of his game.
You're saying,
I wanted you to attack me?
Yeah. Maybe. Just maybe.
I think that we should put that
in the vent. Out of harm's way.
Where I can't get it, right?
Where no one can.
It's dangerous.
You've got a belt too,
you know.
I'll put mine in there.
I don't care.
What about you, Keith?
Yeah, sure.
What about those shoes?
What about them?
I think they should go
in the vent, too.
Those are $400 shoes.
They're staying here.
Those heels
could be used as weapons.
Did you see that arm bar she
gave me? She's the weapon.
Okay. So maybe I should
be put in the vent.
If you could fit,
that would be awesome.
I agree with Sandra. I think that the
heals should go in the vent. To be fair.
Fine. But nobody else
touches my shoes.
You give me those belts,
I'll put it all in the vent.
Glasses, too.
That, too.
Go do your kneeling thing.
Down.
Look, I'm not leaving without those
shoes. I had them on layaway for months.
Layaway?
Are you that broke?
I just finished six years of
college and grad school. So, yeah.
Carcharias must have been
really impressed with you.
Let's not forget that she
did her thesis on them.
When Carcharias called me for the interview
I thought it was too good to pass up.
Except they failed to mention what
the interview process would entail.
Yeah, I should have known. I mean, I
spent a whole year researching them.
And now here we are. Trying
to kill each other for a job.
No. We're not.
Well.
One of us is trying.
Look, I said I was sorry.
I lost control for a minute,
but I apologized.
What more do you want?
Just stay away from me.
Not a problem.
Who's got the phone?
Who you gonna call?
None of your business.
Hey, mom? Yeah.
No, I'm not home yet.
Yeah. I've got my third
interview later today.
Guys, I didn't want to say
anything in front of him...
but I'm really not comfortable
with the situation the way it is.
None of us are.
Yeah, but I'm the one
he hates.
I'll call you and let you
know how it goes.
So what can we do?
Give me back my belt.
Why?
So I can defend myself.
If he comes after me again.
We put the belts in there
to protect all of us.
From him.
No, from any of us.
All right, Mom.
You guys don't trust
me? Thank you for everything.
We made a deal, Keith.
No belts. I'm sorry.
Fine.
What are you going
to do with that?
Nothing.
But if he comes after me again,
I'm going to try to defend myself.
Yes, I am.
Just let him keep it.
It's just a tie.
Fine. Keep it.
Thank you.
Hey. I love you.
Okay. Bye.
So I'm gonna go over there and
try to make friends with him.
What?
I figure that's our best shot at
piece around here. Don't you think?
You know buddy, we really couldn't help
but overhear that blubbery display...
on the phone just now.
I mean, that's gotta be
kind of embarrassing, huh?
Just stop it.
Did I say something wrong?
There's nothing you can do that's gonna
make me hate you any more than I already do.
But I'm not going
to fall for it again.
Fall for what? Huh?
You want me to smash your face in, so
the others will think I'm a loose cannon.
But you're not gonna do that.
That's right.
You're not gonna do
anything, huh?
You're just gonna stand
there and take it?
Like a little bitch.
Stop it. You can't keep stopping them. If
they're gonna fight, they're gonna fight.
Here's a question for you.
What is the one thing in this
world that really aggravates you?
People irritate me.
People?
Stupid people especially.
I don't have time for stupidity.
You know, that's the kind of attitude
we're looking for here at Carcharias.
He's gonna kill him!
Let him!
Keith was right,
Mike's a threat.
We're better off without him.
What do you think?
I don't know, I don't know. He
said it himself, he loses control.
I'd feel safer
without him here.
Then what are we gonna do when
we have to talk to the cops...
after we finally get out
of here, huh?
We'll tell them that it was
self-defense. Which is true.
We all saw Mike
try to kill Keith.
How do you like it now,
big guy?
Is he dead?
Yeah.
Oh, my God.
He attacked me again.
You guys saw that.
Billie, give me that tie.
He probably would have died
anyway with that bleeding head.
If he hadn't killed us
all first. Right?
Oh, God.
Hello?
Now listen carefully.
I'm only going to say this
once: Five nine two seven three.
Was that him?
Was it a number?
Yeah.
What are you waiting for?
Let's try it.
I don't know if we should. I mean, if
it works, do we really want to know?
What's the number?
Five nine two seven three.
That answers one question.
Well, maybe it'll be
easier to force it now.
All right, here's the
scenario...
you're walking down
the street past a church.
You see a burlap bag
on the sidewalk.
It piques your curiosity.
You go over, take a look inside.
It's stuffed with hundred dollar bills.
I mean, literally hundreds of them.
What do you do?
Well, I I pick up the bag.
But I don't walk away.
I stand there for a couple
of minutes.
Maybe pretend to make
a phone call.
Why?
In case it's a trick.
If someone comes forward and
accuses me of stealing...
I can always say I was just
about to take it inside.
But then what?
I, uh trade it all in for
cashier's checks.
You know, in case they're
marked.
Then about a week later, I make a donation
to that church for half the amount.
Hmm. So you'd feel guilty if you
took it all, but not half.
Right.
But what if I told you that you
definitely knew it belonged to the church?
I mean, say there was a news
report saying that they'd lost it.
I'd still only return half.
Why not all of it?
It's their fault for leaving it
there in the first place. Isn't it?
So it's the church's fault,
huh?
Well, but I might mention
it in my next confession.
I like that.
All right, last question...
If hired, is there anything that you
wouldn't be willing to do for this company?
No. I mean, as long
as it's legal.
What if it wasn't?
What are you saying?
Are you serious?
I'm deadly serious.
What if I asked you to do
something that was illegal?
Then I'd be afraid
of getting caught.
Say I could guarantee you absolutely
that you would never get caught.
Well, then in that case, I'd be
pretty much up for anything.
No moral objections, huh?
That would be
between me and God.
And if I was working here,
I'd leave Him out of it.
Really? I'm going
to write that down.
So what do we do now?
Why don't you start banging your head against
the door until one or the other opens up?
You're a barrel full of monkeys,
aren't you, huh?
We could take them down.
What do you mean?
Carcharias.
The police may not be able to
find us here...
but we could at least let them
know what's going on.
It's against the rules.
So what? The worst they can
do is kill us, right?
Is that all?
It wouldn't matter anyway.
Carcharias can get away with anything.
They are too good at what
they do. What do you think?
It's not worth the risk. We should just use
the phone to call our friends, like you said.
How was the pie? It was pretty good.
For a dish that's made out of shepherds.
Do you want anything else?
Just the check.
No worries.
It's on the house.
I can't let you do that.
Sure you can.
I'm allowed to comp a friend's
meal once in a while.
Thank you, but I insist.
Come on. I know you've
had it rough lately.
Let me do this for you.
I appreciate it, so nice.
But really it's not necessary.
I got a new job.
You did? Okay, not
really. But it's close.
I've got a final interview tomorrow, and
I guess it's down to just a couple of us.
I feel really good about it.
Well, that's great.
Who's number is that?
It's Maggie.
She's a waitress at this place that
I go to. She wanted me to call her.
And you're not going to?
I don't think now's the time.
A little shy with the ladies,
huh, James?
I want my shoes back.
Why?
Mike's dead, threat's over.
I think that they
should stay up there.
My feet are cold.
Use Mike's.
He doesn't need them anymore.
Let me have my shoes, James.
Sorry.
Sandra?
No, I agree with James.
Fuck it.
Do you want to try
and call your sister again?
No, I had my call.
And we only have two left.
It's okay. You can use mine.
If no one else objects.
I don't care.
Hi, you've
reached Christina. Sorry I missed you.
Hey, sis. Uh, I guess you didn't
get my last message.
But you can't call me back...
and I think this is probably the
last time that I can call you.
Look, I'm really sorry
that we couldn't talk...
and...
I'm really sorry
about a lot of things. I just
People can't always get
to their phone, you know?
No, I'm pretty sure she
didn't answer on purpose.
Why do you say that?
We're not really
on the best terms.
I thought you said that you guys went
out for drinks together last night?
Yeah, yeah we did.
But we had an uneasy peace
to begin with...
and last night
did not really help.
We owned a business together...
and you know they say
that you should...
never do that with family,
and they're right.
I wanted to sell, and she
couldn't afford to buy me out.
So, we sold. And she's just held
it against me ever since.
So, um
I wanted her to pick up the
phone so I could apologize.
What a pathetic bunch we are.
Trapped in a room with a phone,
and no one to call.
Or no one willing to answer.
Speak for yourself.
Who do you have to call?
No one. But that doesn't
make me pathetic.
It just means,
I can take care of myself.
What are you doing?
I'm getting my shoes.
We should stop her.
God, if she wants her shoes
that badly, just let her have them.
Toss me the phone.
We only have one call left.
I know. I want it.
You had two.
So hand it over.
I'm not going to toss you the
phone. I don't want to risk breaking it.
I am sick. Can you please
just bring it to me?
Providence, Rhode Island.
I need you to connect me to
Saint Luke's Catholic Church.
The rectory, please.
Is Father Phillip available?
I'm a former parishioner.
Thank you.
Father Phillip.
It's Keith Caverns.
I was an alter boy there,
way back when.
Do you remember me?
Yes.
Actually, not so good.
I did a bad thing.
A very bad thing.
I killed a man. I mean,
it was self-defense, sort of.
I mean, he was trying
to kill me. I think.
But... I'm just so confused...
and I don't know what
to do right now.
Yes, Father.
I will, I will.
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses...
as we forgive those
who trespass against us...
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Thank you, Father.
I just remembered someone
I want to call.
There's no calls left.
What if he was wrong
about the five call limit?
What if he was lying?
You could be right.
Want to give it a try?
It's worth a shot.
So, um I just have a few more
questions. Are you ready? Sure.
All right, what's the one thing that
really irritates you about this world?
Liars. I hate liars.
You know, honesty is not
necessarily a virtue in big business.
I know that, and I can keep
a secret if I have to.
I just hate being lied to
directly. You know?
Well, how would you know,
though, if you're being lied to?
I have a pretty good sense
for that, I think.
You guys were right
about these shoes.
They're not too comfortable,
huh?
No. They're deadly.
Oh my God!
You stay away,
you stay away from us!
Just look at the last
number called.
It was forty-five seconds long,
twenty minutes ago.
My God. She's right.
He was faking it.
Look, he never called a priest.
Why would he do that?
Same reason
he was acting so weak.
To trick us into letting
our guard down.
Look, this was all a game for him, and he
was determined to win it by killing us all.
Five two one six two.
If two bolts are open,
we may be able to force it.
I saved both your lives,
you know.
Better put those shoes
back in the vent.
Yeah. Sure, no problem.
Well. I read your dissertation
from cover to cover.
Whew. Wow.
A more thorough examination of
this company I have never read.
I mean, it's way more comprehensive than
any of the reports that we get in house.
Well, thank you, sir. It took
quite a bit of research.
I can imagine it did.
And it seems to me...
that you offer quite a flattering
opinion of this company, don't you?
And your conclusion seems to be that we
here at Carcharias are paving the way...
for the future of big business. Is
that a fair assessment? Yes. Yes, sir.
Good. Well then, my question to you is,
and I want you to be perfectly honest...
if you can be, did you write this
report so that you could get hired?
No. I was flattered when you called and I
would certainly take this job if offered.
But it had always been my
intention to go into education.
Ah, yes. It's in your file here.
So you just graduated, right?
Yes. I've been in school my whole life.
You could say I've been institutionalized.
How so?
I didn't want to leave.
I guess I'm not big on change.
I see.
One more question...
If hired here, is there anything that you
wouldn't be willing to do for this company?
Anything, like what?
Come on, you did the research.
You know where all the bodies
are buried. Use your imagination.
It's true, I did come across a few things
that I thought best kept out of my report.
And yet I did agree
to this interview.
And as I said, I would gladly
take this position if offered.
So, yes. I would do whatever it takes to
further advance this company. No questions asked.
Excellent.
Since Keith never made a call,
there's still one left.
I didn't really have a call to make. I
just wanted to get the phone from Keith.
You must have someone that you
want to talk to. A friend?
I don't have any of their numbers. They're
all in my phone, which I don't have.
Why don't you try giving
that waitress a call?
I've got a final interview tomorrow, and
I guess it's down to just a couple of us.
I feel really good about it.
Well, that's great.
What's the job?
It's with this
Carcharias Corporation.
I've never heard of them.
I hadn't either
before I got the interview.
Well, what do they do?
They take over other companies, kind
of like a consulting firm, I guess.
It's really low profile.
Sounds like a pretty
ruthless business.
Probably can be.
That's too bad.
Another nice guy led astray
by the corporate world.
Oh, wait. I do have one
person's number. Who's that?
Um, it's the guy I went out
with last night.
I guess that means
I could call him, right?
I don't see why not.
Well, are you sure
you wouldn't rather?
No. Go for it.
Uh, hey, Pete. It's Billie.
From last night.
I wanted her to make that call.
I wanted us to be able to
talk for a second. What is it?
I don't trust her. I think she's
playing the same game that Keith was.
I don't think she wants
us to get out of here.
She wants to get those codes so
she can unlock the door herself.
Well, what should we do then?
I don't know.
I thought that we could get out of
this if we just kept our shit together.
But I was wrong.
No, no. It's not over, okay?
All right? If you and I just watch
each other's backs, it's two to one.
She can't get to us.
Okay?
Okay.
Go fuck yourself!
What the hell did you just do?
It doesn't matter!
Don't you get it?
The phone can't help us. No one
can help us. We're all dead!
What happened with the guy?
He works for Carcharias.
He asked me how the interview was
going, said he was flattered...
I'd spend one of the five phone
calls on him.
That's why he took me
out last night.
So he could drug me,
and bring me back here.
That phone, that was our only
hope for getting out of here.
Oh, don't worry.
If one of us dies, they'll get us the
combo somehow. Why do you say that?
Because they'll have a backup plan.
They always have every angle covered.
Well, how are they going to give us the
combination, when we don't have a phone?
I don't know!
Well, let's find out.
In your opinion...
what is the most aggravating
thing in this whole world, for you?
I would have to say,
the concept of fairness.
Explain it. Fairness.
Bleeding hearts that think
everyone should be equal.
I mean, the world just doesn't
work that way.
And people who think that it should
are naive or completely incompetent.
You killed her.
She was a threat.
You said it yourself, you and I
are the only two we can trust.
I meant that we should stick
together. I didn't mean to kill her!
We're safe now.
I thought... you'd be relieved.
You don't trust me?
I just think the weapons rule
should still apply.
James-
I mean, what's the point? If we don't have
the phone, then we can't get the codes anyway.
I spoke too soon.
No, it's a good thing.
If this works, we've got a better
chance of getting out of here.
Let's say that there's been an
ecological disaster for Carcharias.
An offshore oil rig has failed, spilling
millions of gallons of crude into the ocean.
Now, there are three Carcharias owned
companies that are potentially liable.
The builder of the rig, the ones that
operate it, and the company that owns the oil.
Now think about this really carefully.
How would you go about handling it?
I would bury the weakest.
Bury the weakest?
Sorry, how do you mean?
Well, I would shift all the blame to
the least profitable of the three...
have them assume all the responsibility,
and then leak a shady story to the press...
creating a scandal that would
cause their stocks...
to plummet and make the
public hate them. Why?
Well, because it would take the attention
away from the others, allowing them to survive.
Besides, it could be an
advantage.
Expenses could be shifted around, bringing
in bigger profit for other companies.
I like the way you're thinking.
It's like gardening. You just weed out
the weak so that the strong can prosper.
All right, last question...
Is there anything you wouldn't
be willing to do for this company?
No, sir.
Are you sure?
I sold off a company that I started
with my sister, against her wishes...
because I want a job
just like this one.
So, if I'm hired, I promise you,
you will not be disappointed.
No. I'm sure I won't be
disappointed.
Of course, there are four
other candidates.
And unfortunately, it's not up
to me to make the choice.
I understand.
I have a very good feeling
about you, though.
I think you're going into the next interview
with a very distinct competitive edge.
I certainly hope so.
Good.
If someone doesn't come
for us soon...
we're gonna die in here.
Somebody will come.
How long can we last?
Somebody will come.
Fuck! I wish we still had that phone. We
could at least try to call your sister again.
You could have called
that waitress of yours.
I wouldn't have known what to say.
I'm not good with those kind of things.
What kind of things?
You know. Girls.
You're good with me.
I've just never been assertive
enough, you know?
Like, at work, and everywhere.
I couldn't even get everybody to put
their potential weapons in the vent.
But you tried.
I tried. I tried to keep us
alive. Look how good that went.
You wouldn't have been up for this job
if they didn't see something in you.
I told them that I was adaptable
to new environments.
It's true, but I do not have the
killer instinct that you have.
There is no way that I could
stab someone in the throat.
No, it's true.
It's just not in your nature.
Listen, uh technically...
I really shouldn't be doing
this, but
there's all the information that
you'll need about your competitors.
If you play your cards right,
they should tear each other apart.
That's how I knew that
we'd be the final two.
What do you mean?
Oh, and just in case you need
it, for emergencies...
I had the vent cover sharpened.
Apparently it makes
an excellent blade.
All I had to do was
act like I was your friend.
What are you talking about?
It's like I told my sister.
There are no friends in business.
Stop!
All right, listen. In the little time that we
have left, do you have any questions for me?
I guess I was wondering how
I got this interview?
Well, I presume that you
applied for it, didn't you?
I should rephrase.
I guess I mean...
Look, I never really envisioned
myself in the corporate sector.
Just being here today, I can see myself
with Carcharias. This is an amazing company.
But still, I can't imagine that I'm the most
qualified of all the applicants you've seen.
Actually, it says here
I think, somewhere
Yes, you're very good at
adapting to new environments.
Is that correct?
Yeah, I believe
I am very adaptable.
That's too bad. Another nice guy
led astray by the corporate world.
Not yet.
They have to hire me first.
Well,
what would you be doing?
I'd be a strategic analyst.
Is there pretty good
money in strategic analysis?
With this company there is.
Which is why I insist
on paying my check.
Positive thinking. I like that.
You're gonna kill 'em.
What?
Your interview.
I'm sure you'll do great.
It appears that congratulations
are in order. But first, sign this.
What is it?
A new hire agreement.
I want to see your boss.
Of course. Sign.
Right this way.
You may have a seat.
Well. Now this is the part where
I usually congratulate the winner...
and hand over a signing bonus.
But-
I'm not going
to be doing that today.
It occurred to me, watching this
competition play itself out...
that our system is fatally
flawed.
Despite all the profiling, background
checks, and all the rest of it...
there's still a great
element of chance.
Which means that the best
candidate doesn't always win out.
Now, I know that you know...
I've always been rooting
for Sandra.
But honestly, all the other candidates,
they had more killer instinct than you.
Didn't they?
I must admit, I'm deeply
disappointed by today's events.
Would you like for me
to show Mr. Harris out?
Uh, no.
He can show himself out.
Oh, ah, would you ask
Alan to come in?
Yes, sir.
So what now?
Hmm? Oh, sorry.
You're free to leave.
Yes, enjoy yourself
while you can.
I'm sure you'll get a visit from
some members of the company.
They like to tie up the loose
ends. You understand.
That's it?
Yes, that's it. Look, I'm sorry,
but I've got a lot of work here.
Now because of you, I've got all
these new interviews to conduct.
What if I don't
let you do that?
How are you going to do that?
With this.
I keep it in my home
for protection.
When your people came to kidnap
me last night, I went for it.
When I woke up, I realized that whoever had
taken away my cell phone and my wallet...
had somehow missed it. I
decided to keep that to myself.
Did you really think I didn't
know about that gun?
What do you mean?
They found it on you when they
brought you in last night.
I told them to let you keep it.
All the other candidates had their
thing, I thought that was only fair.
Honestly, why didn't you use
it in the room?
Because like you said, I don't have the
killer instinct that everybody else did.
And that's why you can go.
But I am adaptable.
So you say.
You don't believe me?
I believe...
that I may have
underestimated you.
And I think I may be able
to fit you in...
somewhere in this company.
You wanted to see me?
It's all right, Alan.
He's not going to shoot me.
Well, that's good.
So what's with the gun?
Actually, he's going
to shoot you.
I'm sorry?
Well, please, don't act so
surprised.
Do you really think we wouldn't
find out about that Corputech deal?
Corpu- I'm sorry,
what are you talking about?
Someone leaked information that
we were about to sell. No, no
The stock plummeted, we lost
millions. Thank you, Alan.
No, just give me one
- Hold on, kid, all right? Just, easy with that.
You know who the hell
that is? That's Simpson.
He's been dogging me for months
now, he's setting me up!
You can not believe that I had
something to do with a Corputech leak...
a sellout, whatever the hell
you think. Why would I risk-
It is my duty to inform you...
you are no longer a member
of this company.
Shoot him.
Why would I do that?
Because.
Just do it, kid.
You want to fill a job opening,
create one. Shoot him.
Isn't there another way?
There is not another way.
Don't you get it?
This is the very essence
of our profession.
You are being given an
incredible opportunity here.
For someone to succeed in the corporate
world, someone else has to fail.
That's the name of the game,
right? Sacrifice.
For every carcass floating in the water,
there's a shark ready to eat it up.
You may have no idea what
happens behind the scenes.
But you pull that trigger,
I will teach you.
I'll show you the free market
for what it really is.
It's an ocean of predators, all
looking for their next piece of meat.
All you need do is to decide...
whether you're a shark...
or just another meal.
Well. Welcome aboard,
young man.
Is everything all right?
Oh, uh, we just need
a clean up in here.
Oh, and uh, would you bring
James a new contract?
Yes, sir.
All right. Well, we've got
a lot of work to do.
I think it's time we got our
hands dirty. Don't you?
Hmm, tsk-tsk.