The Plot... Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) is a laid off auto worker in Hadleyville, PA, at a plant that has been closed for 9 months. Hunt goes to Tokyo to try and convince Assan Motors to come and reopen the plant. They agree, but when they get to America, they begin to take advantage of the work force, making tons of terrible changes to the town.
Oishi Kazihiro (Gedde Watananbe) is in charge of the plant, a young guy who has been a failure in his business career thus far because he is too lenient on his workers. Intent on becoming the strict manager his superiors expect, he gives Hunt a large promotion on the condition that he work to smooth the transition and convince the workers to obey the new rules. More concerned with keeping his promotion than with the welfare of his fellow workers, Hunt does everything he can to trick the American workers into compliance, but the culture clash becomes too great and he begins to lose control of the men.
In an attempt to solve the problem, Hunt makes a deal with Kazihiro: if the plant can produce 15,000 cars in one month, thereby making it as productive as any Japanese auto plant, then the workers will all be given raises and jobs will be created for the remaining unemployed workers in the town. However, if only 14,999 cars are completed, the workers will get nothing. When Hunt calls an assembly to tell the workers about the deal, they balk at the idea of making so many cars in so short a time. Under pressure from the crowd, Hunt lies and says that if they make 13,000, they will get a partial raise. After nearly a month of working long hours toward a goal of 13,000—despite Hunt's pleas for them to aim for the full 15,000—the truth is discovered and the workers go on strike.
Then, the dramatic... comedic... hilarious conclusion...
Why Its in the Dave100... sometimes there are no long explanations--sometimes you just love a movie because its really, really funny...
Hey, Its That Guy!... How about Long Duk Dong from Sixteen Candles (one of the best non-porno names ever)? How about Clint Howard, Ron's little brother (and winner of the 1998 MTV Movie Award Lifetime Achievement Award, which, up until that time, had been a running joke amongst the producers, but since Clint took it so seriously, they stopped giving it out)? How about Mimi Rogers, the former Mrs. Tom Cruise?