Hey folks, Harry here.... Well, this is exciting, looks like Neil LaBute has turned out another damn fine film! My fave LaBute flick is still IN THE COMPANY OF MEN, though I am fond of NURSE BETTY, I just like that black heart in the center of that first film that just beats like a Billy Idol fist in the air. I also love that Neil kept his stage cast, what a novel concept to go with the actors that have best explored the characters. What will they think of next?
Harry,
Long time reader, first time writer. I hadn't seen any comment on director Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things" which premiered at Sundance on Monday night, so I thought I'd pitch in my two cents.
"Shape" was first concieved and performed as a play, written by LaBute. It starred Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz, Gretchen Mol, and Fred Weller. It was staged in London and New York, and after over 200 performances, LaBute decided to put in on film. The cast was so well-oiled that no changes were made to the cast, which comes through in the performances. Everyone is spot-on. I like that there was no feeling of "upgrading" if you will, with this film. No "let's stage this scene in the subway JUST because now we can." The scenes are fairly simple. The focus is on the characters, as it should be. Like LaBute's other work, ("In The Company of Men", "Your Friends and Neighbors") this is a powerful character piece, that delves into the our darker side. It raises questions about self worth. About how we are percieved by others and how we percieve ourselves.
Rudd's character Adam, is a shlub of a man who meets up with Weisz's Evelyn, who's a free-thinking artist-type. The pairing results in Adam going through a transformation...the kind most women put men through when they start going out. You know the kind? They want you to dress better. They want you to cut your hair differntly. They want you to lose a little weight. It happens all the time, especially when the man is not as aggressive/assertive as the woman.
Mol and Weller are Adam's friends who are a little taken aback by Evelyn. I don't want to give anything away...but LaBute follows the progression (?) of the Adam/Evelyn relationship and it's effects on the the Mol/Weller relationship, on Adam's relationship with Mol & Weller's characters, and ultimately (and harshly) on the Adam/Evelyn relationship.
Mol and Weller were good. Rudd was great. Weisz was fantastic. She's pulls you in and not till the end do you start to see what her true intentions are. Rudd plays the simpleton who ramps up to a higher level, and does it well.
LaBute uses a nice selection of music by Elvis Costello (older tunes as well as a couple from his latest album, the excellent "When I Was Cruel") in appropriate places, never using it when there's dialog...only during scene transitions or montages.
The post viewing Q&A was informational, as well as fun. LuBute is as quick witted a person as I've seen, albeit very low-key. Rudd is very funny as well.
Hope this can be of some use. Keep up the good work, and save me some Jordan Almonds.
Captain Hubcap
