Venice 2025: 'Human Resource' is a Clever Modern Workplace Satire

Venice 2025: ‘Human Useful resource’ is a Intelligent Trendy Office Satire

by Alex Billington September 7, 2025

It is time to get actual: capitalism goes to kill us all. A lot of the world resides in a capitalist hell, however we’re caught in it and there is not a lot anybody can do. The endlessly futile recreation of jobs, resumes, bosses, bonuses, break day, promotions, contracts, incentives, interviews, HR, and every little thing else that makes everybody cringe. There is a development inside cinema nowadays with movies subtly, slyly commenting on this capitalist hellscape, from Ruben Ostlund’s Triangle of Unhappiness to Mark Mylod’s The Menu to Boots Riley’s Sorry to Trouble You to Alex Scharfman’s Loss of life of a Unicorn, and every little thing else. The newest movie to affix the occasion is a Thai movie known as Human Useful resource, made by filmmaker Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit as his eighth function movie up to now. It simply premiered on the 2025 Venice Movie Competition within the Orizzonti part, although it is so rattling good it actually ought to’ve been taking part in within the Predominant Competitors. What makes Human Useful resource distinctive is that it’s a way more dour, miserable movie following a girl in Bangkok who works at an organization. Nevertheless, it is a hilariously bleak satire that makes Nawapol out to be Thailand’s Ruben Ostlund with a touch Roy Andersson.

Human Useful resource is each written and directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, set within the bustling, fashionable metropolis of Bangkok. Prapamonton Eiamchan stars as Fren, a quiet, contemplative younger lady who works within the HR division. “Fren carefully observes folks’s lives by interviews with quite a few younger new hires at her unjust firm.” She additionally simply discovered she’s pregnant, and appears to be solely uncertain of what to do subsequent in life. What’s the level of all of this? What’s the level of bringing a toddler into this damaged world? The movie takes a bit to get going – at first it is barely complicated why we’re following this lady, or what the story shall be, or what is going on on. However it will definitely settles in after which issues get hilarious. There are completely crafted ironical scenes straight out of a Roy Andersson movie, and humorous moments exhibiting simply how absurd and empty and pointless life is on this capitalist hell. Everybody wants work, everyone seems to be determined to holding working, to generate income – so as to go residence & then do nothing, with empty lives the place nothing thrilling ever occurs. Then they fall asleep, get up and eat breakfast, and repeat this cycle over & over. To what finish? As bleak and melancholic as this movie is, I discovered my laughter getting louder & louder because it continues on.

By the tip of the movie I used to be able to admit: that is sensible, simply superb filmmaking. I beloved this movie, although it is painful to observe at occasions. I laughed method louder than I ought to’ve at a few of the most unsettling pictures (just like the pile of ash). The truth that Nawapol is wise sufficient to indicate these photos, to let the digicam linger, so as to be sure it has an impression on viewers, is a part of the brilliance. That is intelligent filmmaking. It is extraordinarily darkish, but exceptionally sharp, in its completely depicted sly criticism of the what-are-we-even-doing-anymore hell all of us dwell in these days. I doubt it’s going to wake anybody up from the delusions they’re residing in. I doubt it’s going to immediately trigger the world to cease being so obsessive about capitalism & firms. Nevertheless it completely slays anyway. As miserable and dismal because the movie is, I nonetheless discovered loads of pleasure on this expression of angst utilizing cinema to make us chortle whereas we wince at this actuality we’re all caught in. Fren is beautifully expressive in her refined mannerisms that convey frustration with the world, and it is a reduction to spend time with a personality who’s additionally simply so fucking uninterested in all this. Typically a cinematic cathartic launch is useful. Typically it is wickedly entertaining to see a filmmaker who utterly will get it put all this on display screen for us to mirror upon…

Alex’s Venice 2025 Score: 9 out of 10Observe Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing