TJFF: "The Worst Company in the World"

The Worst Company in the World is an Israeli documentary by Regev Contes about three middle-aged men who couldn’t run a business if their incomes depended on it.

In Hebrew with English subtitles, the film opens with the filmmaker’s father explaining that his car is, in fact, comprised of two cars melded together. This sets the tone for the rest of the film, as well as foreshadows the way in which this man runs his insurance company. That is, if the title didn’t tip you off already.

The business in question is run by Regev’s father, along with his father’s brother and a close friend of theirs. They attempt to run an insurance company, and have been doing so for years in the same nonchalant, unproductive manner, and for some reason don’t seem to mind that it’s barely running at all in fact, the viewer sits in on a couple of accounting sessions and learns early on that the business is actually losing money.

This frustrates Regev and the audience to no end, as the film documents a son’s attempt to help his father and his partners fix up their business before it fundamentally collapses.

Essentially, the three men make the company their excuse to socialize and truly enjoy themselves in the process it doesn’t matter that they seem oblivious to the monetary implications of their shenanigans.

Not only is this film funny, but it’s moving as well. One becomes almost instantly attached to the characters that are almost too absurd to be real.

However, when a recurring illness threatens Regev’s father, it seems to bring into perspective that which is truly important: family, friendship, and enjoying every minute of life as though it were the last.

The men continue to run their business in the exact same disorderly fashion, but by the end of the film, the audience doesn’t seem to mind.