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Employee of the Month (2023) movie poster

Plot Summary

Employee of the Month (2023) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 78 min · French
Echo score 64
JustWatch #6,260 13
Directed by
Véronique Jadin
Starring
Philippe Résimont, Peter Van den Begin, Achille Ridolfi, Alex Vizorek, Christophe Bourdon, Ingrid Heiderscheidt

Inès is a dedicated employee at EcoClean, striving for a well-deserved raise. However, her ambitions are met with sexism and disappointment from her boss. When a shocking incident of workplace violence occurs and a new intern gets involved, Inès and her colleague Mélody find themselves entangled in a chaotic situation. They must devise increasingly outlandish schemes to conceal the truth and manage the fallout within the corporate environment, leading them down a surprising and unpredictable path.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Employee of the Month (2023)

Where can you watch Employee of the Month? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Employee of the Month: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Employee of the Month (2023) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

The day that was meant to herald a fresh start for Dave Walsh crumbled into an overwhelming disaster. After losing his dream job at the bank and experiencing a harsh breakup with his fiancée, Sara Goodwin, just hours after their engagement celebration, Dave's life spiraled into chaos. His best friend, Jack, attempted to lift his spirits with sage advice but couldn’t foresee the impending turmoil awaiting Dave.

In a well-intentioned yet misguided move, Jack arranged for Whisper, a mysterious woman, to cheer up Dave during a visit to his apartment. Unfortunately, instead of the comfort he hoped for, Dave became the victim of a carjacking. Still reeling from the pandemonium, Dave returned to the bank the next day, harboring a secret—a gun concealed within his waistband.

As he ventured to confront his former boss, a potent mix of desperation and frustration bubbled beneath the surface. When he finally faced his ex-boss, Dave's pent-up emotions exploded, leading him to threaten drastic action. Initially taken aback, the boss surprisingly summoned his courage, standing resolutely against Dave's rage. As tensions escalated, Dave hesitated, opting for a vicious display of power that left his former boss bloodied but alive.

Emerging from the office, the stark reality of the bank's chaos hit Dave like a freight train. Robbers were wreaking havoc, and in a moment of clarity, Dave's fantasies twisted into a brutal truth. He imagined heroically taking down the criminals, but the reality was starkly different. When one of the thieves captured his colleague Wendy, Dave sprang into action, shooting the robber and saving her life. Yet, in a cruel twist, he found himself cornered, tackled, and ultimately abandoned by the robbers as they escaped in their getaway vehicle. It was evident that this day was destined to be unforgettable—a chaotic whirlwind of emotions, desperation, and chaos.

In the aftermath, a poignant montage unfurled, portraying the emotional wreckage left in the wake of the incident, including the distraught reaction of Sara. A news report further complicates matters, revealing that a body discovered in the charred remains of a van had been identified as Dave, using dental records for confirmation. This shocking revelation triggers a sequence of intricate plot twists that keep viewers riveted.

As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the seemingly reckless robbery was a meticulously plotted scheme orchestrated two years earlier by Dave, Jack, Wendy, and Eric, aiming to rob the bank, fake Dave's death, and assume new identities to enjoy lavish lives free from scrutiny.

Eric, Sara's dentist and a crucial component in the heist, not only drove the getaway car but also falsified the dental records of the deceased. As secrets begin to unravel, Dave, Wendy, and Jack gather in a rundown motel room, ready to split their ill-gotten gains and disappear for good.

However, tension mounts when Wendy leaves the room, and Dave's darker impulses surface as he brutally murders Jack, driven by deep-rooted animosity stemming from a traumatic childhood incident that left an indelible mark on him.

In a shocking twist, Wendy returns and exacts revenge on Dave before taking off with the stolen money. But her escape is fleeting, as it becomes apparent that she has been in a romantic relationship with Sara, adding layers of complexity to their tangled lives.

Meanwhile, Sara has taken her own initiative, eliminating Eric and claiming his share of the loot. The narrative reaches a mind-blowing conclusion as the credits roll, culminating in a jarring final shot of Sara and Wendy's getaway car being brutally struck by a bus, leaving their fates veiled in uncertainty.

Last updated: November 17, 2024 at 21:23

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Plot questions answered

Employee of the Month Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Employee of the Month (2023): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Dave bring a gun to the bank?

After losing his job and experiencing a devastating breakup with Sara on the same day, Dave returns to the bank the next day armed with a concealed gun. He is fueled by desperation and anger over his firing, intending to confront his former boss about the unfair termination. The gun represents his breaking point after a cascade of personal failures.

  • dave
  • gun
  • bank
  • confrontation
  • job loss
Q2

Was the bank robbery actually a planned heist?

Yes, the entire robbery was a meticulously orchestrated scheme planned two years in advance by Dave, Jack, Wendy, and Eric. They staged the heist to rob the bank, fake Dave's death using dental records, and assume new identities to enjoy the stolen money. The chaotic robbery viewers see is actually the culmination of this long-conspiracy.

  • heist
  • robbery
  • conspiracy
  • fake death
  • planned
Q3

Why does Dave kill Jack at the motel?

Dave murders Jack driven by deep-rooted animosity stemming from a traumatic childhood incident. Although they were best friends as adults, something from their past left a lasting grudge. When tension erupts at the motel during the money split, Dave's darker impulses surface and he kills Jack in a fit of rage.

  • dave
  • jack
  • murder
  • motel
  • betrayal
Q4

What is the relationship between Wendy and Sara?

Wendy and Sara are revealed to be in a romantic relationship. This connection adds complexity to the story, as Sara was initially introduced as Dave's fiancée but had been secretly involved with Wendy throughout the heist planning. Their relationship becomes significant in the final act.

  • wendy
  • sara
  • relationship
  • romance
  • secret
Q5

How did Dave fake his death?

Dave faked his death using dental records. After the robbery, a body discovered in a charred van was identified as Dave through dental records. In reality, Eric, who was Sara's dentist and part of the heist team, falsified these records to confirm the false identification, allowing Dave to disappear and start fresh with new identity.

  • fake death
  • dental records
  • eric
  • body
  • escaped
Q6

Why does Wendy kill Dave at the motel?

Wendy returns to the motel after Dave kills Jack and takes revenge on Dave for murdering her partner in the heist. Seizing the stolen money, she kills Dave before fleeing with the loot. Her action is driven by both greed for the money and vengeance for Dave killing Jack.

  • wendy
  • dave
  • revenge
  • murder
  • money
Q7

Why does Sara kill Eric at the end?

Sara eliminates Eric to claim his share of the stolen loot. As part of the heist team, Eric had a portion of the money coming to him, but Sara decides to take it for herself by killing him. This shows her transformation from seemingly innocent fiancée to willing participant in the criminal aftermath.

  • sara
  • eric
  • murder
  • loot
  • money
  • greed
Q8

What happens in the final scene with the bus?

As the credits roll, Sara and Wendy flee together in their getaway car after eliminating their respective targets. However, their escape is cut short when their car is brutally struck by a bus, leaving their fates uncertain and presumably dead. This bleak ending underscores the film's nihilistic message that crime ultimately does not pay.

  • bus
  • ending
  • crash
  • sara
  • wendy
  • fate
Q9

Why does Dave attack his former boss at the bank?

Dave confronts his former boss because he is consumed by anger over being fired from his dream job. After losing his job and his engagement on the same day, combined with the traumatic carjacking, Dave's pent-up frustration explodes during the confrontation. He threatens the boss and violently beats him, though the boss survives.

  • dave
  • boss
  • confrontation
  • violence
  • anger
Q10

What happens during the carjacking with Whisper?

Jack, trying to cheer up his friend after the breakup, arranges for a mysterious woman named Whisper to visit Dave. However, during her visit, a carjacker attacks them outside Dave's apartment. Dave becomes the victim of the sudden carjacking, adding another traumatic event to his disastrous day.

  • carjacking
  • whisper
  • jack
  • attack

Movie threads

More Movies Like Employee of the Month, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Employee of the Month tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Crime stories where plans unravel like in Employee of the Month

When a desperate scheme collapses under the weight of brutal betrayals. If you liked the chaotic downfall of the heist in Employee of the Month, you'll find similar thrills here. These movies feature desperate characters whose elaborate criminal schemes spiral into betrayal and violence, leading to bleak and unpredictable outcomes.

  • desperate
  • treacherous
  • unpredictable
  • paranoid
  • ruthless
  • tense
  • Tone: dark, tense, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a meticulously planned crime, often born from desperation. The initial success is short-lived, as alliances fracture under pressure, leading to a series of shocking twists and betrayals. The journey is a downward spiral, moving from calculated risk to frantic chaos, culminating in a conclusion where the original goal is lost and survival is the only prize.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their shared focus on the psychological unraveling that accompanies a failing criminal enterprise. The tone is consistently dark and tense, the pacing is fast and fraught with unexpected turns, and the emotional weight is heavy, exploring themes of greed, trust, and the futility of control.

Movies about workplace crime and desperation like Employee of the Month

Ordinary jobs become the backdrop for extraordinary and desperate criminal acts. Fans of Employee of the Month's take on corporate disillusionment leading to crime will enjoy these films. They explore similar themes of workplace despair, betrayal among colleagues, and the shocking lengths people will go to when backed into a corner by their job.

  • desperate
  • tense
  • brutal
  • treacherous
  • paranoid
  • unpredictable
  • Tone: dark, satirical, desperate
  • Pacing: fast, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves protagonists who are initially dedicated to their jobs but face profound disillusionment—through sexism, humiliation, or unfair treatment. A single catalytic event, often an act of violence, forces them into a cover-up or criminal conspiracy with their colleagues. The story explores the fragile alliances and deep-seated greed that can exist beneath a professional facade, leading to a destructive chain of events.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific vibe defined by the juxtaposition of a mundane, bureaucratic setting with high-stakes crime and moral decay. The tone is darkly satirical, the pacing is often fast as situations escalate beyond control, and the emotional core revolves around themes of resentment, ambition, and the loss of professional identity.

Every angle

Employee of the Month (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Employee of the Month in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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