The Promotion 2014

Doug Stauber is the assistant manager at a Donaldson’s supermarket in Chicago, and he believes he’s a shoo-in to manage a new Donaldson’s opening just a few blocks from his home. The daily grind of the job weighs on him: dealing with a troublesome gang of teenagers lingering in the parking lot, trudging through a flood of negative comments on customer survey cards that seem driven by the same teens, and even a recurring nuisance—a foreign visitor who keeps slapping him with a box of Teddy Grahams. There’s also chatter about his past, including rumors that he used to medal in Junior Olympics gymnastics, rumors that haunt him as he works to prove himself. Into this tense routine, a new figure arrives: Richard Wehlner and his family move in from Quebec, and Richard becomes Doug’s rival for the coveted manager position.

What follows is a sharp look at two men under pressure and the delicate balance of personal and professional life that is affected when competition heats up. Richard’s arrival seems to tilt the scales in his favor, but the new colleague carries his own baggage. He has a past problem with substance use and a propensity to make blunt, sometimes inappropriate remarks. The board of directors begins to scrutinize both men after an awkward incident tied to a deli sign that proclaims “Employee of the Month for ‘cutting the cheese’.” Richard concedes that he was manager on duty when the sign was put up and explains that he hadn’t realized the phrase could offend the American audience, noting that the expression originates from Canadian usage. In his defense, he says the expression “cracking the cheese” is how Canadians say something similar, a detail that becomes a flashpoint in the development of the rivalry. The moment escalates tensions, revealing cracks in both men’s professional façades and signaling that the competition will be more than a shared job title.

The rivalry quickly bleeds into home life. Doug faces financial pressure as he edges toward a house purchase that would be jeopardized if he doesn’t land the promotion. His wife Jen considers night classes to improve their situation, while Richard’s marriage begins to show strain as his wife Laurie and their daughter temporarily move back to Scotland, leaving him to shoulder the burdens at work and at home alone. The stress at home mirrors the stress at work, amplifying every misstep and making each interaction in the break room, the parking lot, and during staff briefings feel heavier and more consequential.

A series of misfortunes and miscommunications push both men toward a breaking point. While assisting a customer in the parking lot, Doug is struck on the head by a bottle of Yoo-hoo hurled by one of the gang members. In a retaliatory impulse, he confronts the gang and sprays one of them with mace. Then, in a separate incident in the break room, Doug, furious at the ongoing chaos, throws some frozen Tater Tots toward the trash can and accidentally hits Richard’s hand. Richard, in turn, fakes an injury by wearing a wrist brace at work. The escalating actions of both men draw the attention of the community and the board, who begin to consider the consequences of a prolonged clash between the two top candidates.

To regain control of the narrative, Doug makes a public effort to repair the damage. He delivers an apology speech at a local community gathering, acknowledging his actions and emphasizing a hopeful message: that a beautiful day should not be spoiled by a few “bad apples.” The speech earns him respect from community leaders and members alike, and a brief, high-stakes meeting follows where the board, assistant managers, and community representatives discuss the situation. In a moment of comic and painful honesty, Richard refers to the gang in a way that inflames tensions further, calling them “black apples.” That gaffe intensifies the scrutiny on both men and sets the stage for the final decision.

The board schedules a final round of interviews, the culmination of weeks of tension and testing. A crucial part of the process is a drug test, a formality that becomes decisive for Richard, who has recently smoked marijuana. When the results come in, Doug receives the good news: he lands the manager position because Richard fails the drug test and the remaining candidate is deemed too junior for the role. Doug’s relief is palpable—he celebrates with a spontaneous display of cartwheels and backflips in the street, a public affirmation of the long-gnawing rumor about his athletic past and the hard-won victory he earned through perseverance and a bit of luck.

With the professional chapter closed, the film shifts to a quieter, more reflective note. Doug secures the job and returns home, ready to shoulder the responsibilities of leadership and the pressures that come with it, and he and his wife begin to rebuild their life together under new, more hopeful terms. Meanwhile, Richard and his family return to Quebec. In a twist that feels almost like a cautionary legend, he is said to have become the store manager in his homeland after stopping what might have been a dangerous fire, a moment that is whispered about as a rumor that he personally may have started, leaving lingering questions about how luck, misfortune, and fate continue to shape the arcs of two men who shared the same store, the same challenges, and the same dream of success.

Throughout, the film uses a neutral, observational tone to chronicle the pressures and choices that define the contestants’ paths. It leans into the everyday realism of a retail workplace, where promotions hinge on performance, image, and a few pivotal moments that can redefine a career and a life. The narrative threads together issues of ambition, marriage and family strain, community perception, and the unpredictable nature of luck, offering a portrait of two men whose trajectories diverge in the wake of a contest that tests more than their managerial potential. The result is a thoughtful examination of how competition can both win and wound, how public perception can be as consequential as any evaluation, and how the line between success and failure can be as thin as a moment of decision.