KKrastin Although this film is about the upheavals in Australia in the 60s, it could easily be reset in the mid to late-2000s with the economic upheaval that the US has been having as well. Companies having a person coming in to re-evaluate what they are doing to find the efficiency leaks/breaks that are causing the company to lose more money than gain, based upon 3 rules that he tells later in the movie. Anthony Hopkins was the bad guy just in 1991, a year before this movie, and he does the same in this film, but less than a resident evil that he did in the prior movie. You can see the struggles his character is having while playing the bad guy at the company and reporting to the head of the company changes that needs to be made. You almost feel sorry for Anthony Hopkin's character to have to make these life-changing decisions that affect so many other folks lives and livelihoods.Seeing it now in 2014 (almost 25 years later), it's interesting seeing that Anthony Hopkins stays true to form to his classic Anthony Hopkins self. No disappointment there; how could anything go wrong seeing him in the movies?BTW, their wardrobes are classic 60s and loved the lady in pink (from head to toe), even with the pink lipstick.

dennis This movie is very uneven. Parts of it are clear and entertaining. Other scenes are confusing, or a bit too hostile, or a bit too stupid.There is a sentimentality which permeates most of the scenes about the Ball shoe factory. This helps one get through silly situations, and ones which seem to make no sense.If 15 minutes were expertly cut out of this thing, it would be a lot more watchable, and interesting. I am sure that if I was Australian, I might understand more of what was happening (and why). So, if you are down under, I can heartily endorse this to you.I was attracted to watch this because of the cast: Anthony Hopkins, Toni Collette, among others. The only character I believed was Toni Collette, but this could well be because I don't get the Aussie way-of-life.

Floyd Maxwell It has been quite a while since I saw The Efficiency Expert on VHS. I liked it at the time but it was so relatively unknown I couldn't get a copy from any library or video store despite years of trying. Then I happened across it in a DVD discount bin and snapped it up.I think this movie started me down the road to further enjoyable Aussie film viewing, including The Dish. Like The Dish, this movie has a different pace (wildly different) than most North American movies -- a natural, delightful, unpretentious, genuine pace that no doubt had kept it from most people's tellys. Can't be watching anything to rational now, can we.Well today was a third viewing and even better than the first two. This could be due to my political enjoyment of this movie. And how wonderful that George Orwell's name is dropped during the feature -- missed that the first time.In an age where the iron fist is revealed more each day, it is incredibly important to take a moment to, er, smell the stock car races.Get this movie. Support people who care.

Pepper Anne The Australians have always been great with these kind of movies, feel good comedies. Probably more so than the Americans ever have been, and in part, I think it is because any sort of conflict never really appears as such. Somehow, even when things go wrong, the effect is so neutral, or at least not so bad, that you know things are going to work out. Cosi and The Castle are two recent examples that I can think of. And, funny enough, these are movies that Toni Collette usually shows up in.This is the story of a British efficiency expert (Anthony Hopkins) hired by an Australian shoe maker (Alwyn Kurts) to assess the progress of his Mocassin factory. What initially appears to be a standard job, turns out to be a lesson in compassion and common sense as the efficiency expert befriends the people who have worked nearly thirty years in the factory.Our subtext is that of a love story when a young man named Carey (Ben Mendelsohn) is eager to date the boss's rather arrogant daughter, Cheryl (Rebecca Riggs), who is not interested, and is in fact, involved with a sleazy coworker (a very young Russel Crowe). Although, it is one of those stories where it is obvious that the fellow is overlooking the perfect girl for him (Toni Collette, who Mendelsohn also co-stars with in 'Cosi').It is a sweet comedy, and one you'll likely enjoy if you have been satisfied with other recent Australian feel-good comedies. It's quite a nice, funny little film with great performances all around.