Is it reassuring or frightening to see toxic masculinity as a worldwide problem? In Alpha Male, co-directors Igor Priwieziencew and Katarzyna Priwieziencew tackle it from the side, because their characters might — might — see them coming head on. A disturbing satire from Poland that could easily transplant to the U.S., the film at least pulls out uneasy laughs as a group of men take a class on assertiveness and find themselves in a cult.
The adult education center is under lockdown. There’s been a bomb threat, which we periodically get reminded of by a loudspeaker announcement. Into this walks the hapless Piotr (Adam Bobik), looking to gain equal footing with his girlfriend at her suggestion. With open arms and toothy grin, the man known as Leader (Miroslaw Haniszewski) welcomes him.
Perfectly slick and exuding an aura of dark wood paneling and Brut cologne, Leader teaches men to find their inner strength. Though of course that shouldn’t mean they should stand up to him. In conversations during smoke breaks, Piotr discovers no one in the class knows a thing about Leader, not even his real name. And some of them have been there for way too long for this to be a simple 8-week course.
As the class spirals into something darker, the men teeter between embarrassment at their vulnerability and steeping themselves in bad nightclub chic. Like most caught up in cults, they don’t even realize how little they make sense as they try to aggressively fawn over Leader. He is, of course, the Alpha Male, delighting in his mind games and spreading insanity a few pearls of wisdom at a time. This is toxic masculinity as evil clown.
The script gives Haniszewski dialogue worthy of Sterling Hayden in Doctor Strangelove. While he doesn’t specifically say he’s denying women his essence, his rants come close. The actor chews it all with restraint; Leader is a tour de force role that’s frightening and funny. Bobik walks a fine line as well. Boyish and nervous, his Piotr is at least brave enough to challenge the inconsistencies he sees. That’s more than any of the other men can do.
Alpha Male is unsettling, no doubt. A good satire should be. And though I can already imagine an American remake — Skeet Ulrich would be a great Leader — this version should be the one you see. It’s the kind of film Neil LaBute makes, only funny.
