"A Shot in the Factory" chronicles the events that led to the film's opening moments when a desperate working man shot and killed a factory's boss. With a documentary style, the director observes the downfall of a great factory that merged to another big one, failed to generate profits to their owners and that culminated on the cut of a whole department, later on dismissing groups of simple workers in this rural community whose only work available was there. From there, reunions are settled but nothing is achieved, strikes are made and the rest leads all to the initial tragic event.
The verité style was interesting, nicely done with many frozen film stills - and some documentary images, I think - conducting everything like a real story that develops before the viewer. Though the concept was great and the story goes right for the most part, I haven't felt much need for this film to exist. If the idea was only to present a real look many workers face during their lives and how strikes and groups are assembled amidst internal crisis then I've seen better stories (like "They Don't Wear Black-Tie" and "The Working Class Goes to Heaven", for example). And this would be more relevant if the director used of an extra hour to give us the aftermath of the opening shooting. And anyone could predict that a former employee would kill the guy who fired him. Doesn't create much suspense but manages to be a good social drama with the very few it has to offer, supported by an effective cast. 7/10.
