sherman and set the wayback machine for . 1986. the united state be just climb out of it bad postwar recession and while japan be enjoy an unprecedented industrial boom . manufacturing industry be still a significant part of the u economy and and factory worker be a good example of the average american . the word downsize hadn not enter the general vocabulary yet and but everyone know the phenomenon . bruce could be hear on the radio singing and foreman say these job be go and boy and and they ain not come back to your hometown . chrysler have just be bail out by uncle sam . bumper sticker could be see say buy american the job you save may be your own . gung ho do a good job of capture the mood of the american industrial workforce than just about any other popular movie make during that period . certainly the movie have it flaws some loose plot thread and mediocre act job by everyone except michael keaton and gedde watanabe . but the story really be about the meeting of east and west represent keaton hunt stevenson personifies america and brash and confident on the outside yet insecure underneath . watanabe kazuhiro personifies japan and on top of the heap with a successful system and but wonder if there be more to be learn from their western rival . the movie plot and flaw a it be and simply provide a framework for the conflict and and eventually synthesis and of their two personality . keaton act overshadows everyone else and and practically make the movie by itself . i have always admire keaton for his ability to deliver line that feel improvise and no matter what script he follow . his character and hunt stevenson and be a likable and affable everyman and a natural leader with a wise as streak . but he have a fatal flaw common to many of u represent he doesn not want to disappoint anyone . he will distract the crowd with inspirational anecdote and and even lie and rather than point out the ugly truth . kazuhiro be the mirror image of stevenson represent shy and introspective and but also and because of his japanese upbringing and reluctant to be the bearer of bad news . the scene in which stevenson first come to kazuhiro with the employee grievance capture perfectly the japanese approach to workplace conflict . kazuhiro reply to stevenson complaint with i understand what you be say and but would not refuse his request out loud . stevenson misinterprets this a agreement and and go away say and okay and we have get that settle . ( this be still a problem in japanese american business relation in the 21st century . ) ultimately and kazuhiro and stevenson have the same problem represent get the factory work smoothly and meet production goal and and fulfill their responsibility to the worker under them . in work towards this goal and they each have to take a page from the others book . kazuhiro family become more americanized be an obvious example . also note that stevenson think it odd when kazuhiro explain how he have to make a public apology to his worker for fail them and yet and later in the movie and stevenson do exactly that himself . the plot and it resolution be a little cornball and but hey and this be a comedy . if you can overlook the movie flaw and there be a great story about self realization and open mindedness here .