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Aaron Eckhart, Matt Malloy, Stacy Edwards, Mark Rector, Emily Cline ... see more see more... , Jason Dixie

Two frustrated young executives vent their pent-up rage via a childish prank and end up paying a price in this psychological black comedy, the feature-film debut of writer-director Neil LaBute. Former... read more read more... college buddies Chad (Aaron Eckhart) and Howard (Matt Malloy) are in their early 30s and work in the same company. One day the two encounter each other in the men's executive washroom and begin expressing their mutual frustration regarding their lack of rapid advancement at work and their most recent bad luck with women. In hopes of gaining revenge against the fairer sex and bolstering their battered egos, the two hatch a nasty scheme to be enacted over an upcoming six-week-long business trip: Find a vulnerable young woman to court, slather with affection, and then callously dump. They choose a lovely, hearing-impaired typist named Christine (Stacey Edwards), a woman who hasn't dated in many years. Not realizing that she is about to be the metaphorical mouse between a pair of hungry cats, she laps up the sudden attention, but in no time it becomes apparent that Chad is the man she prefers. When Howard discovers this, it creates escalating tension between the two men who begin playing more psychological games, not only with hapless Christine, but also with each other. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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79% liked it

7,218 ratings

Critics

89% liked it

54 critics

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Neil LaBute

Release Date: August 1, 1997

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DVD Release Date: March 17, 1998

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Stats: 597 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (597)

  • aliceinpunderland
    April 13, 2011
    aliceinpunderland
    I thought I would like this LaBute film since I usually dig his hold-a-mirror-up-to-society commentaries, but the evil machinations in this movie really have no exigence other than, as Chad states at the very end, "Because I could." This isn't some evil sociopathic genius who re... read moreveals societal hypocrises (like Evelyn does in The Shape of Things); hypocrises are nevertheless revealed but not through any action or intention on Chad's part. In the Company of Men is just two college dudes, thinking of how cool it'd be to write a totally depraved script and wait until one dude is sufficiently rich and famous enough as a playwright to produce this piece so that the other dude can star in it.

    The puns on "company" and the hierarchy of power are intriguing, but the company itself is such an underdeveloped entity. What is it? What do they do? Why are they here? It seems like LaBute didn't even know. It's too easy to say the anonymous nature of the company could represent any company. The LaBute I know is much too specific of a writer to cut corners like that, unless of course, he was too inexperienced to think it needed development.
  • stevenecarrier
    March 3, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    Neil LaBute's "In the Company of Men" is vicious look at misogyny. Aaron Eckhart totally nails his role here and it's a marvel to watch. The picture is cruel (though no where near as damaging as "Your Friends & Neighbors") and scathing. LaBute's dialogue is also a treasure to beh... read moreold. Something special always seems to happen when playwrights transition to film and "In the Company of Men" is one of those gems. It's a nasty piece of work, but well worth your time for it's biting deconstruction of masculinity, sexual politics and angst. If you are looking for an extremely violent film without any violence it in, you need to see "In the Company of Men."
  • dreamfaeries
    December 27, 2009
    dreamfaeries
    UGH! This movie totally sucks. The storyline was horrible and what they set out to do is just cruel. It's no wonder I have a hard time trusting men... Did not keep my interest at all.
  • fb619846742
    November 3, 2009
    fb619846742
    An absorbing film concerning two yuppies who decide to "play a game" on an innocent woman, both pretending to fall for her, just to see what she feels once they pull the rug out from under her. They decide to do this just because they've been dealt so many vicious blows by the fe... read moremale sex before in their lives, and they want revenge. This movie does a great job establishing a dark sense of humor, led by two completely opposite characters who are cruel and uncaring (except for the grand finale), and a dominant, confident lead performance from the very underrated Aaron Eckhart. It's certainly not for everyone, since it is probably the best example of the "anti-romantic/comedy", but once it turns ice cold, you can't help but be in awe of it.
  • mjgildea
    August 10, 2009
    mjgildea
    If In the Company of Men was a person, I'd break its nose but not before buying it a beer. This is possibly one of the meanest movies I've ever seen in my life. But its also damn good. Aaron Eckhart spews pure venom and Neil LaBute's debut showed he was a force to be reckoned wit... read moreh. At least until Nurse Betty came out. The cinematography was a bit weak and the whole movie screams for a bigger budget, but other than that, no complaints. In the Company of Men--the stuff that protest groups are made for.
  • bookmunki
    December 9, 2008
    bookmunki
    viciously well done.
  • hobster1
    October 15, 2008
    hobster1
    Disturbing corporate tale of two men who decide to toy with a young woman's affections in an effort to vent their pent up rage against the female sex. An ugly psychological drama that is hard to watch but endlessly captivating. It's difficult to describe just how vile and depra... read moreved a man Chad is. He is a villain you won't soon forget. Astonishing first film by writer, director Neil LaBute.
  • arashxak
    October 12, 2008
    arashxak
    "Let's hurt somebody"
    I'm looking forward to see LaBute's other movies
  • Chiefilms
    March 2, 2008
    Chiefilms
    I used to despise Aaron Eckhart for no reason but this movie changed my perception of him.
  • Beefy
    August 6, 2007
    Beefy
    Evil, unsettling.

View All In the Company of Men Reviews

Critic Reviews

David Edelstein
February 11, 2008
David Edelstein, Slate

A dazzling, repellent exercise in which the case against men is closed before it's opened. Full Review

Jeff Giles
February 11, 2008
Jeff Giles, Newsweek

LaBute, a playwright and former drama teacher, has succeeded in creating a study of banal, everyday evil. Full Review

Dennis Harvey
February 11, 2008
Dennis Harvey, Variety

A dark, probing, truly disturbing exploration of yuppie angst and male anxieties as they manifest themselves in both the work and personal arenas. Full Review

Rick Groen
April 12, 2002
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Prepare for the conversation to grow heated. Full Review

Charles Taylor
January 1, 2000
Charles Taylor, Salon.com

In the Company of Men is a singularly unpleasant movie. And from the point that Chad and Howard settle on Christine, it's an increasingly unbelievable one, too. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The kind of bold, uncompromising film that insists on being thought about afterward -- talked about, argued about, hated if necessary, but not ignored. Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

LaBute directs this low-budget film with such spareness and precision, using such minimal yet effective backdrops, that in retrospect his color film almost seems to have been in black and white. Its i... Full Review

Mike Clark
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today

A provocative dissection of human dynamics, Men might just become the gotta-see-it August choice of adventurous filmgoers.

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

One of those rarest of rare breeds -- a movie that doesn't just ignore Hollywood conventions, but openly flouts them. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

The strength of LaBute's conception every step of the way is in forcing the issue of where we belong in this picture -- with Chad, with Howard, or with Christine. Full Review

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In the Company of Men Trivia

  • In the film In The Company Of Men, the two men in the film try to date a woman with what disability?  Answer »
  • In the Company of Men, directed by Neil Labute, features a contest between two men to date the same disabled woman. What is her disability?  Answer »
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