Varun Patel
‘Inhuman Resources‘ marks another addition to Netflix’s ever-growing portfolio of international productions. The thriller is a French mini-series comprised of six episodes and is based on a shocking true story. The series tells a tense story of wealth inequality and corporate greed. The show stars Eric Cantona, an actor and a prominent footballer who played for Manchester United. It is titled ‘Dérapages’ in French.
Inhuman Resources Recap:
‘Inhuman Resources’ revolves around the story of an aged man named Alain Delambre, who used to work as a human resources manager for two decades before he was laid off. Since that day, he has been working odd jobs, unable to keep up with his financial responsibilities at a time when he should have been able to retire comfortably. His insurance payments are overdue. His kitchen needs to be repaired. He has to continue paying his house’s mortgage too.
Delambre has a couple of daughters: Mathilde and Lucie, and a wife named Nicole. He ends up having a legal case filed against him when he headbutts his superior after he (the superior) humiliates him. However, he manages to find a job opening that could end his woes. He clears the initial written test and is invited for another examination.
The job is at a multinational company called Exxya. However, Exxya has not been performing well and needs to lay off over 1,000 employees. The CEO of Exxya, Alexandre Dorfmann, is looking to hire a resourceful and manipulative man who can handle the lay-off. This is the job that Delambre applies for. Additionally, Dorfmann also needs to adjudge which Exxya executive is the least loyal to the firm so that they can be fired.
To hit two birds with the same stone, Dorfmann comes up with a rather sinister plan: of arranging for a fake hostage situation wherein the executives are made to believe that they would be threatened to spill the company’s secrets. The shortlisted candidates for the job that Delambre is applying for would conduct the hostage negotiations. This way, Dorfmann would be able to select the right man for the new job and find out which executive is the least loyal.
Delambre gets shortlisted for this position. He goes to extreme lengths to ensure that he is well-prepared for the hostage situation. However, will the extreme measures that Delambre takes be worth it? Will he end up going overboard? How far would Delambre go to get himself out of a sticky financial situation?
Inhuman Resources Review:
Right from the very first shot, ‘Inhuman Resources’ grips the viewer and never lets their attention waver. The series proves to be a craftily-paced thriller with various twists and turns. Without giving any spoilers away, it ought to be noted that the French mini-series goes far beyond its original premise, in completely unexpected directions. The motifs of its characters might seem to be slightly cliched, but they are truly depicted to be taken to the very extremes.
‘Inhuman Resources’ sports themes which are quite similar to ‘Parasite‘ but has a plot which would remind one of ‘Breaking Bad.’ Those comparisons itself should be enough to indicate that the Cantona-starring series is a winner. It is both slick and gritty (leaning more towards the latter), and the levels of immorality that the protagonist is willing to go through are depicted effectively. This really highlights the frustrations of unemployability, reminding viewers every episode of the central theme.
Another way that ‘Inhuman Resources’ is similar to ‘Breaking Bad’ is the family dynamic and the character of Delambre. Delambre is a desperate man who does some pretty shady things. However, his wit is something that would consistently make viewers root for him despite knowing that some of his actions are quite wrong. Similar to how Walter White becomes obsessed with leaving something for his family behind, Delambre becomes obsessed with “reuniting his family,” and the only way that he thinks he can do that is by ceasing to have financial woes.
Additionally, it is hard to imagine ‘Inhuman Resources’ having been set in a developed nation like France. Apart from the Exxya scenes, most of the action takes place in run-down apartment blocks and dirty prison cells. The wealth inequality is laid bare unabashedly. The show can also prove to be quite stressful to watch, similar to a Safdie brothers film. The central character always has his plate full, and that keeps viewers engaged even if they might find themselves pulling their hair or biting their nails in tension.
Rating: 4/5
Read More: Best French Shows on Netflix
