MEN AT WORK. A Film Worth Revisiting for Three Reasons

Cinema loves to show ordinary people placed in extraordinary situations. This formula has been used by filmmakers like Hitchcock (“North by Northwest”), Spielberg (“Duel”), Fincher (“The Game”), Machulski (“Kiler”), and others. Emilio Estevez also tapped into this concept, basing his film’s plot on the misadventures of two young men working for a waste disposal company. He added a generous dose of humor, creating a light, unpretentious action-comedy titled “Men at Work”.

Carl (Charlie Sheen) and James (Emilio Estevez) are two laid-back guys who dream of opening a surf shop. In the meantime, they work for the California equivalent of a waste management company, driving around several streets at dawn, emptying trash bins. They don’t take the job seriously, treating it as a necessary evil, so a supervisor is assigned to them—Louis (Keith David), a Vietnam veteran. Soon, the trio becomes entangled in a criminal plot after discovering the body of a local politician in one of the trash bins.

At no point does the film pretend to be more than a light, enjoyable watch for a casual summer evening. The creators had no ambition to explore artistic territory, and Estevez, who served as the writer, director, and lead actor, doesn’t aim for highbrow cinema. However, the adventures of Carl and James are so endearing that it’s impossible not to root for them, and the good mood lingers long after the movie ends. The sun-soaked California atmosphere of the early ’90s shines through the screen, and the smile never leaves your face. It’s also one of those films where the exaggerated villains are a gang of bumbling idiots, seemingly dangerous but not very bright. Even when the heroes get into trouble, they always manage to wriggle out of it. The whole story is tinged with irony, making it impossible to take seriously.

Emilio Estevez came up with the idea for “Men at Work” in the mid-1980s while working on another film of his, “St. Elmo’s Fire”. One night, while working late on script revisions, he was suddenly disturbed by the sounds of a garbage truck outside his window. This inspired him to create a story about waste disposal workers. Fifteen versions of the script were written, and at one point, John Hughes (known for “Home Alone” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation”) was involved in the project. In the end, Estevez himself directed and played one of the lead roles. Initially, he didn’t plan to cast Charlie Sheen (who had already had successes with “Platoon”, “Wall Street”, and “Major League”, and long before the drug-fueled scandals that derailed his career), his real-life brother, but after reading the script, Sheen wanted to be part of the film. Together, they formed a great duo, able to communicate without words—often, a single glance conveyed more than a thousand words. The cast also includes Keith David, known from John Carpenter’s excellent “The Thing”, as the eccentric (to put it mildly) Vietnam veteran, and Leslie Hope, recognizable from the fantastic series “24”, where she played the wife of the main character in the first season. The music was composed by Stewart Copeland, one of the founders of The Police.

“Men at Work” didn’t break box office records. However, considering the film’s relatively low budget ($9 million), it performed reasonably well. Today, few people remember this title, but it’s definitely worth revisiting for three reasons. First, it exudes a wonderful, now nostalgic atmosphere. Second, it touches on the currently popular theme of environmental protection, making it even more relevant today than when it was released. And finally, because it’s sincere in its intent, delivering exactly what it promises. It works perfectly as a light, enjoyable entertainment that brings a bit of joy.

Written by Piotr Zymelka