Sam Raimi is Still Afraid of the Struggles of Office Workers… 'Office Boss Training', and 'Drag Me to Hell'

It is not easy for a director who started in the B-movie market to take the helm of a blockbuster. And it is even more difficult to produce three remarkable works without failing in that process. Thus, Sam Raimi is a fascinating director whose name is regarded as a brand even in Hollywood, where many acclaimed filmmakers abound. Who would have predicted that the director of the low-budget B-movie 〈Evil Dead〉 would become the honored filmmaker to bring Spider-Man to the screen? Even the director himself probably did not foresee that the film would become a massive success and open the floodgates for the 'live-action superhero movie' boom.

Therefore, it is refreshing to see that 〈Office Boss Training〉 is a work that showcases Sam Raimi's originality after he has been involved in large franchises in the 2000s. By film standards, he completed the 〈Spider-Man〉 trilogy, took a breather with 〈Drag Me to Hell〉, and then transitioned to the world of Oz with 〈Oz: The Great and Powerful〉. After what was essentially a failed journey to Oz, he took the megaphone for a large film again with 〈Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness〉. (Now that the production process has been revealed, it is generally agreed that it was thanks to Sam Raimi that it was completed to this extent.) Upon its release, reactions were mixed, with some saying it was very much a Sam Raimi film while others found it disappointing as a Sam Raimi superhero movie. And now he has released 〈Office Boss Training〉, so it is inevitable to feel a sense of nostalgia for 〈Drag Me to Hell〉.

In fact, 〈Drag Me to Hell〉 and 〈Office Boss Training〉 share a significant commonality. The leading characters in both films are women, specifically office workers. While this common setup may not seem remarkable, it is worth noting that a director who has completed a large film shares the same theme in a story about finding his own 'sense'.

Of course, the two female protagonists, Christine (Alison Roman) from 〈Drag Me to Hell〉 and Linda (Rachel McAdams) from 〈Office Boss Training〉, only share the aspect of being 'overworked female protagonists'; their situations and standings in the films are quite different. Christine becomes cursed after coldly rejecting an elderly woman who asks for a loan extension just once. She goes from being the perpetrator to the victim. In contrast, Linda faces demotion and various humiliations from the newly appointed CEO Bradley (Dylan O'Brien) and ends up on a deserted island with him, where she sincerely 'supports' him. She transitions from being the victim to the perpetrator.

In this process, the commonality between the two protagonists is their ambition for promotion. In fact, Christine did not want to reject the elderly woman so harshly. However, with a promotion evaluation looming, she coldly turns her down, even though she understands the grandmother's feelings. Christine is not a bad person; she was simply fulfilling her duties as a member of society. In fact, she is considerate enough to check with her boss, knowing that extending the loan would be difficult. Yet, for merely wanting to achieve a desire that anyone might have, to get promoted, she suffers various misfortunes throughout the film. On the other hand, Linda is so competent that the deceased former CEO specifically pointed her out as the next executive. Her problem is not her work; it is her lack of social awareness and sensitivity, to the point where even her colleagues avoid her. But does that make her a bad person? Not at all. In a capitalist society, competent employees are invaluable. Yet, she is unable to obtain what she desires simply due to the whims of the CEO.

Thus, Christine and Linda find themselves at the center of a narrative of power reversal. The process of transforming from perpetrator to victim and from victim to perpetrator reflects like a mirror, while the implicit violence they experience as 'office workers' and 'women' remains shared even after nearly 20 years. This suggests to Sam Raimi that these themes are still relevant and intriguing. On the other hand, the depiction of these two women navigating a series of life-and-death crises and learning their own survival methods to reclaim their true 'lives' seems to capture the primal energy of women, which is impressive.

Of course, one cannot consider the two films as perfect counterparts. While 〈Drag Me to Hell〉 was written by Sam Raimi, 〈Office Boss Training〉 was penned by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. Nevertheless, the fact that commonalities can be found in a work where Sam Raimi has expressed originality rather than large IPs in the 2000s suggests that there is a clear perspective that office workers (especially women) still face challenges in Sam Raimi's world. 〈Office Boss Training〉 is currently showing in theaters. If you see this work, I recommend watching its spiritual partner, 〈Drag Me to Hell〉, next.