Given the choice, writer/director Neil LaBute would rather have people hate his films than forget them.
"I kind of like the idea of challenging people," LaBute said during an interview in the Sundance Film Festival's hospitality suite, at the Claim Jumper on Main Street."It's OK if they hate what I do. It's much better than having them say, `Ho-hum'!"
LaBute, who wrote and directed "In the Company of Men," and the film's star, Aaron Eckhart (they met when both men attended Brigham Young University several years ago), say they were taken aback by the variety of reactions during its early showings in the festival's dramatic competition.
The dark comedy follows Chad and Howard, two junior executives on a temporary assignment in the Midwest, who purposely manipulate the young, hearing-impaired woman they're both dating.
While some audiences have found more than just a grain of truth in the film's treatment of serious issues, such as sexual harassment, others have seen it as misogynistic. Still others have been troubled by what they perceive as an inconclusive ending.
LaBute is slightly disturbed by some of the comments but is happy that his film seems to be one people are talking about. "That sometimes has its downside, too. People talked a lot about Hitler, after all," he said, adding that the film deals with issues that tend to polarize people.
"I don't think it's right to water them down for the sake of a happy ending," LaBute said. "Life isn't a television show where you can wrap up all the major problems in the world, like a special episode of `Family Ties,' in a half-hour - or 60 minutes if it's a special two-parter."
Eckhart, who plays the despicable lead character in the film, agreed, saying that certain issues or situations affect people differently, which is why confrontational movies are important. "You never know quite what it's going to take to push people's buttons the right way," Eckhart said.
"Just look at Alec Baldwin and what happened when that photographer tried to take pictures of his family."
Though LaBute is responsible for creating the characters and situations, he hasn't been alone in taking the heat for the film. Some people attending the film festival have been unable to separate Eckhart from Chad, the character he plays in the movie.
"Suddenly I'm the person everyone loves to hate," Eckhart said. "One woman came up to me at a party, and starting saying, `I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.' I tried to explain to her that she should hate Chad, but she just didn't get it."
Nevertheless, Eckhart wouldn't have passed up a chance to play the loathsome character, or to work with LaBute. "(Playing Chad) was a very cathartic experience," Eckhart said. "Of course, that doesn't mean that I believe the same things he does. It just means that that I had some self-doubts and my character really hates himself as much as he hates others."
The two say that making the film and returning to Sundance, where they were both drivers for other filmmakers and film festival officials three years ago, was particularly satisfying. LaBute also participated in Sundance's screenwriting programs, where he developed the script for "In the Company of Men."
"This is home territory for us. We were here as students and now we're back with a movie," LaBute said. "It's been very exciting for me because I got to meet (Robert) Redford and relate all my experiences. He said that this is what the festival is supposed to be about."
And they have both gotten the last laugh on the skeptics who doubted their acting and writing skills. "A lot of my college roommates didn't think I was going to make it in the business," LaBute said. "I've already seen some of them and suddenly they're friendly and enthusiastic - and sincere."