Few films have made me laugh as hard as I did watching The Company of Men. It tells the story of two business men who decide to spend the next 6 weeks finding a girl to date, romanticizing her, and then dumping her. I decided to see this film after hearing of the controversial reviews it had. After watching it, now I know why many people don't like the film at all.

In the Company of Men is the most sexist film I have ever seen. It is really hard for me to think of any female that would like this film. In the film, women are shown as, well, objects. The two business men (played by Aaron Eckhart and Matt Malloy) choose a woman to "play with" for the next 6 weeks. The woman they choose is a typist who is deaf. This leads to the plot of the film going in spin.

Maybe it is because I love dark comedies, but I just thought this film was hilarious. Sure, it is mean spirited and cruel and evil, but I just can't help and find it so funny. One joke plays out in a bathroom, where the two business men talk about how the typist can't talk and make fun of her talking. It's pure evil, but in a funny way.

I would never show this film to my girlfriend. Hell, I would never show it to any woman. Plus, while this film is sexist to women, it is, in a way, also sexist to men as well. It shows men as evil monsters who use women as if they aren't human. This, however, did not piss me off. I was so into the the film that it didn't matter to me.

Would I ever do the things these men did in the film? Of course not. I know women deserve to be treated with respect. Still, for what this film is, it succeeds.

The Writer/Director, Neil LaBute, came from the theatre, where he had developed a controversial reputation.

This film, his first, which he made in 1997, seemed determined to build on that and worked as it created a bit of a storm at the time.

He is generally regarded as a bit of a misogynist but some see him as an all round misanthrope!

He hasn't come close to making as much of a fuss since, really, despite trying - he made "Lakeview Terrace", which tries to be controversial about race but fails miserably to be anything except a mediocre thriller with a really crap ending!

Recently he was responsible for the remake of "The Wicker Man"- surely one of the most pointless exercises in cinema since Gus Van Sant's "Psycho".

Yeah, well I don't really care for Neil LaBute that much. I think he has potential to make great films, but he seems to be lost in Hollywood right now with films like The Wicker Man and Lakeview Terrace. Plus. he is remaking Death at a Funeral.

So, I don't think I will see another one of his films anytime soon.

His film Your Friends and Neighbours is very similar to In the Company of Men. Jason Patric gives a strong performance as a misogynistic sociopath. But the scenes between Patric's seem like sub standard filler designed to serve no purpose other than to link Patric's scenes together.  Overall the film tends to drag.

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I have heard of Your Friends and Neighbors, but haven't really bothered to watch it. From what I hear, it is just an okay film, and not anything special. The way you describe it is basically how I imagine it.

Can't say I saw the comedy in this. Indeed, Aaron Eckhart's character spews out his share of jokes throughout but all of them were utterly hateful and mean-spirited and intentionally so at that. They were particularly ugly given the overall context of the film. Pretty sure this wasn't meant to be a comedy.

I also didn't think the film was sexist. The characters were. I mean the hatred and resentment was absolutely palpable. But it seemed to me that while Aaron Eckhart's character had a special place in his black heart reserved for hating women, he had something bad to say about everyone. I mean everything about him was just dripping misanthropy. Matt Malloy's character seemed more like he was going along for the ride, even though he had reason to share in Eckhart's disgust.

Overall though, I think the film had a lot more to say and didn't limit itself to male/female relations. I'd also say that the ending changes the whole context of the film.

Oh and speaking of the ending... !!! Right up there with Oldboy amongst the darkest endings of all time. I got chills and was speechless when the credits started to role. It couldn't possibly have ended any other way though. Brilliant!

Speaking of brilliant... Aaron Eckhart. Wow! Best performance of his career, easy. The complete opposite of Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight. Easily one of the most spineless, vile and evil creatures ever to (dis)grace the screen. Even more so than Hannibal Lector and his ilk. Why? Not only did it seem that Chad could actually exist (who knows? - so could Hannibal) but exist in the realms of everyday people. You could work with someone like Chad and not even know. Maybe you'd get the feeling every once in a while but you'd never know for sure.

Overall, an amazing film. And ironically the start of an absolutely pathetic track record for the director. The Wicker Man? Lakewood Terrace? Really? *shivers*

It's too bad, really, but it seems like it was all downhill from here. Nurse Betty was okay. I'll have to see Your Friends and Neighbors.