Sundance Interview: John Wells, Director Of The Company Men
When I hear the nameJohn Wells, I think of paramedics hurriedly rushing onto the scene of an accident, arriving just in time to barely save someone’s life. I fondly recall verbose walk-and-talks in the halls of the Bartlett White House. And I remember following the romantic lives of skilled doctors in a Chicago E.R. In short, this man is partly responsible for some of the most thought-provoking, thrilling television ever produced.
Wells directed a movie calledThe Company Menthat premiered at Sundance this year. With an all-star cast featuring Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones,The Company Menfollows the lives of three men as their company is torn apart amidst a recession. The film is a personal portrait of job loss, and while its scope is relatively small, the talent of the performances is not. Affleck, Cooper, and Lee Jones all manage to cpature the pain and humiliation of economic struggle with pathos and humor. The stories feel personal and subtle, even to a fault; few things particularly “dramatic” happen during the movie, and while the film can occasionally feel aimless, its depiction of joblessness also feels deeply rooted within vagaries of our reality. Thus, while there were no helicopter crashes or gun-shot wounds inThe Company Men, Wells proves that as a director, he can smoothly make the transition to film (a medium he’s alreadyvery familiar with as a producer) and tell a story with nuance and skill. You canclick here to hear a couple more thoughts about the filmorwatch the film’s trailer.
After the break, I chat with John Wells about what inspired him to makeThe Company Men, true stories of job loss, and whether or notThe Company Menis really an independent film.
You candownload audio of this interview(right-click and “Save As”) or play it right now in your browser:
