It's the same old story: A factory in a sleepy Rust Belt town closes down, and the men and women who have kept the machines churning out widgets there for years and years are suddenly tossed on the ash heap. That's the backdrop in Working Man, but there are big twists in this compelling drama from first-time director Robert Jury. At the center of Working Man is Allery (Peter Gerety), a rotund fellow in his late 60s and a 30-year employee of that factory. The company's indifference to his dismissal comes as a shock to him, especially following a tragedy at his home that does not become clear until late in the story. The taciturn Allery vexes his concerned wife Iola (Talia Shire) by doing something unusual. Despite being laid off, Allery is still getting up early in the mornings, packing lunches, and strolling to the factory gates that are now locked up. No matter: He breaks in day after day and carries on his old job without profit. Soon he is joined by Walter (Billy Brown), a charismatic newcomer to the community who was also let go, and who describes himself as a recent widower trying to reestablish himself. Eventually a number of other ex-workers start showing up for work, too, and Walter turns the quixotic endeavor into a battle for labor rights. If this sounds like a feel-good scenario, it is for a while until warning signs of grandiosity and abrupt anger turn up in Walter's eloquent leadership, shifting the direction of Working Man toward a test of the unlikely bond between two protagonists. Jury's simmering, measured take on the narrative—a deliberate reflection of Allery's repressed emotions and methodical approach to daily survival—wisely imbues Working Man with a curious caution, all the more interesting when Walter breaks the spells with signs of psychological disturbance. But the key here is the terrific cast. Gerety and Brown are familiar character actors who get to carry a challenging drama, and Shire gives solid, touching support as a frustrated spouse who just wants to live. For a very different film that defies expectations, Working Man is something to see. Highly recommended (T. Keogh)