The Promotion

The Promotion

Year: 2014

Runtime: 84 mins

Language: German

Director: Zoltan Paul

Drama

Lorenz Fuchs, a middle-aged accountant, feels trapped in a meaningless and monotonous life, perceiving the world as hostile. When his boss unexpectedly promotes him and exposes his hidden emotional vulnerabilities, Fuchs’s carefully constructed defenses begin to crumble. Long-suppressed memories of past trauma resurface, triggering a violent outburst and a devastating chain of events.

Tense
Bittersweet ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Simple story

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Timeline & Setting – The Promotion (2014)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Promotion (2014). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary

The events unfold in a present-day, modern retail setting. Workplace norms, customer feedback, and performance reviews drive daily life, making ambition a practical and timely concern. The era reflects a culture where promotions hinge on perception as much as on results.

Location

Donaldson's Supermarket, Chicago

Set in a busy Chicago retail environment centered around a Donaldson's supermarket, the film follows staff, customers, and the boardroom-like dynamics as pressure mounts to secure a promotion. The urban setting emphasizes the fast-paced, observant community that shapes the store's fortunes. The store and its surrounding neighborhood serve as a microcosm of contemporary American work life.

🏙️ City 🏬 Retail 🗺️ Urban

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 10:17

Main Characters – The Promotion (2014)

Meet the key characters of The Promotion (2014), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Doug Stauber

Doug is an ambitious assistant manager under mounting pressure at a Chicago Donaldson’s, contending with troublesome teens, negative customer surveys, and rumors about his athletic past. His drive to win the promotion pushes him to prove himself publicly, sometimes fueling impulsive actions that threaten his image. He ultimately secures the manager role after a dramatic contest and a celebratory display of relief.

💼 Ambition 🗣️ Public Image 🎯 Focus

Richard Wehlner

Richard arrives from Quebec to challenge Doug for the leadership post, bringing blunt candor and a troubled past with substance use. His family life becomes strained under the pressure of competition, complicating his bid. A failed drug test ultimately undermines his chances, illustrating how personal history can influence professional fate.

🧭 Pressure 🥃 Bluntness 💊 Past Substance Use

Jen Stauber

Jen is Doug's wife, who considers night classes to improve their finances, showing how career stress spills into the home. She balances concern for her husband with practical plans for a better life, highlighting the domestic stakes of the promotion race. Her support and decisions help shape the couple's future.

👪 Family 💬 Communication 🕰️ Stress

Laurie Wehlner

Laurie is Richard's wife, whose family temporarily moves back to Scotland, underscoring how the rivalry reaches into family life. Her presence emphasizes the personal cost of the job contest and foreshadows the strains of long-distance support. She and Richard navigate distance as the professional battle unfolds.

🗺️ Distance 🧭 Strain 👪 Family

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 10:17

Major Themes – The Promotion (2014)

Explore the central themes of The Promotion (2014), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏁 Rivalry & Ambition

Two managers-in-waiting compete for a single promotion, with personal pressures amplifying every decision. The board’s scrutiny and the high-stakes environment turn routine interactions into tests of worth. The rivalry exposes vulnerabilities and asks how far someone will go to achieve success.

🗞️ Public Image

Reputation functions as currency in the workplace and community. A controversial sign and an apology speech reveal how perception can decide a career, sometimes more than actual performance. The outcome hinges on how others read the players and the process.

🏠 Work-Life Balance

Promotion pressure spills into home life, stressing marriages and finances. Doug's wife contemplates night classes to help their finances, while Richard's family dynamics show the personal toll of the rivalry. The film juxtaposes private life with public ambition, illustrating their intertwined stakes.

🍀 Luck & Fate

Fortune and rumor influence the path to success, culminating in a decisive drug test. Merit collides with chance as outcomes feel shaped by factors beyond pure skill. The ending hints that fate can be as unpredictable as it is consequential.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 10:17

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Anxiety-fueled workplace dramas like The Promotion

Stories where professional ambition creates relentless personal pressure.If you liked the tense, competitive atmosphere of The Promotion, explore more movies about workplace rivalries and the psychological toll of ambition. These films capture the anxiety of professional life, where career advancement comes at a personal cost.

anxiouscompetitiveunder pressurerealisticstrainedreflectivetense

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically follow characters grappling with professional competition, financial pressure, and the erosion of their work-life balance. The conflict arises from office politics, rivalry with a colleague, or the crushing weight of expectations, leading to a gradual buildup of stress that impacts their mental well-being and personal relationships.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the realistic pressures of the workplace. They create a consistent vibe of anxiety and tension through relatable scenarios about career advancement, professional image, and the sacrifices made for success.

Steady-burn psychological unraveling like in The Promotion

Character-driven stories where suppressed emotions lead to a breakdown.For viewers who appreciated the psychological depth of The Promotion, this section features movies about characters cracking under pressure. These stories show a steady, believable descent as inner turmoil disrupts an ordinary life.

psychologicaltensereflectivestrainedunder pressureanxiouscharacter study

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a seemingly stable individual whose defenses begin to crumble under sustained stress. The story unfolds at a deliberate pace, focusing on small incidents and internal struggles that accumulate until they trigger a significant emotional outburst or life-altering decision, often with bittersweet or devastating consequences.

Why These Movies?

These films share a specific emotional journey and pacing. They are connected by a focus on internal conflict, a steady buildup of tension, and a central theme of a character's fragile psyche breaking down in a realistic, relatable way.

Unlock the Full Story of The Promotion

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Promotion in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Promotion is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Promotion Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Promotion, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Promotion Summary

The Promotion Timeline

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The Promotion Timeline

The Promotion Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Promotion Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Promotion

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Promotion: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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The Promotion (2014) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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The Promotion (2014) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow