Neil LaBute

[Sea Of Tunes]

...I just read a rather dour interview with the man. He was a Mormone for 20 years, which may explain the total greyness in his remarks. The Latter Day Saints Church is a total fraud, read Mark Twain's brilliant dissection of this madhouse for evidence. Now I understand why he didn't get the true gist of 'The Wicker Man' at all, and just saw the religious surface. Your comments? And did he do anything good?

[Davey the Fat Boy]

I don't know much about the guy but his work has generally interested me, and In The Company of Men in particular strikes me as a pretty singular film.

I haven't seen The Wicker Man, but I'm tempted to rent it just to see what he made of it.

[Mr Maps]

I haven't seen his Wicker Man and I'm not sure I want to. His direction of other people's writing (Nurse Betty) seems to be much weaker material that when he does his own stuff. (The Company Of Men, Your Friends and Neighbors, The Shape Of Things)
He is probably my favourite living American Playwright and his scripts are an absolute joy to tackle. Especially Bash, The Mercy Seat and Fat Pig.

I am a big fan of his writing.

[Sea Of Tunes]

I haven't seen his Wicker Man and I'm not sure I want to. His direction of other people's writing (Nurse Betty) seems to be much weaker material that when he does his own stuff. (The Company Of Men, Your Friends and Neighbors, The Shape Of Things)
He is probably my favourite living American Playwright and his scripts are an absolute joy to tackle. Especially Bash, The Mercy Seat and Fat Pig.

I am a big fan of his writing.

OK thanks, I will reconsider.

[Maxwell's Golden Pickaxe]

..And did he do anything good?

In The Company Of Men is fantastic.
Your Friends And Neighbours is very good too.

I'd recommend you check both of them out.

[Mr Maps]

He is probably my favourite living American Playwright

I may have over stated this a bit as Mamet, Sheppard and Albee are all still alive but they have made all the difference they are going to and LaButes' star is still on the rise.

[Sea Of Tunes]

He is probably my favourite living American Playwright

I may have over stated this a bit as Mamet, Sheppard and Albee are all still alive but they have made all the difference they are going to and LaButes' star is still on the rise.

Does LaBute have a signature language the way Mamet does? I am a huge Mamet fan.

[Mr Maps]

He is probably my favourite living American Playwright

I may have over stated this a bit as Mamet, Sheppard and Albee are all still alive but they have made all the difference they are going to and LaButes' star is still on the rise.

Does LaBute have a signature language the way Mamet does? I am a huge Mamet fan.

I would say so. In the plays his dialogue comes off as incredibly naturalistic but in the films it seems a bit stylised. Especially in the Company of Men.

It's interesting that you mention his religious beliefs because morality comes up in his stories but he's not proselytizing for any sect. Basically it's like he's saying, if you want to live an amoral life, this is the world we are going to have. There are many characters who are completely selfish and self absorbed and therefore often being incredibly cruel to each other.
He also goes to the heart of matters we have all thought about.
The Mercy Seat is about people using the Trade Centre attacks to fake their deaths and disappear and start over. Fat Pig is about a guy who starts dating a woman who is morbidly obese and although she is ok with herself, it puts pressure on the relationship from his friends and ex-girlfriend.
This How It Goes deals with interracial marriage.

Here is an article he wrote a few years ago I really admire him for.
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/fea ... 41,00.html

[Mr Maps]

He is probably my favourite living American Playwright

I may have over stated this a bit as Mamet, Sheppard and Albee are all still alive but they have made all the difference they are going to and LaButes' star is still on the rise.

Does LaBute have a signature language the way Mamet does? I am a huge Mamet fan.

I would say so. In the plays his dialogue comes off as incredibly naturalistic but in the films it seems a bit stylised. Especially in the Company of Men.

It's interesting that you mention his religious beliefs because morality comes up in his stories but he's not proselytizing for any sect. Basically it's like he's saying, if you want to live an amoral life, this is the world we are going to have. There are many characters who are completely selfish and self absorbed and therefore often being incredibly cruel to each other.
He also goes to the heart of matters we have all thought about.
The Mercy Seat is about people using the Trade Centre attacks to fake their deaths and disappear and start over. Fat Pig is about a guy who starts dating a woman who is morbidly obese and although she is ok with herself, it puts pressure on the relationship from his friends and ex-girlfriend.
This How It Goes deals with interracial marriage.

Here is an article he wrote a few years ago I really admire him for.
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/fea ... 41,00.html