John Krasinski is best known for his role as Jim Halpert on “The Office.” At the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, however, the actor is also known as a first-time director with a film in the dramatic competition. Krasinski’s movie, entitled “Brief Interviews with Hideous Men,” is based on the David Foster Wallace book of the same name. The unusual style of the film reflects its title, as the movie progresses between interviews with different men.
Sara Quinn, played by Julianne Nicholson, is a graduate student who is talking to a collection of men for her research. Although the film begins on a lighthearted tone that highlights the comedic elements of male-female relationships, it takes on a serious and surprisingly complex mood as it progresses.
The movie, which is almost entirely monologue-driven, showcases Krasinski’s talent as a director for working with actors. Each monologue presents a unique, but entirely believable character. “Brief Interviews” also presents viewers with one of Krasinski’s better performances as an actor, as he is able to portray a complex dramatic character instead of his traditional comedic roles.
Krasinski’s weakness as a first-time director is also evident in the film, particularly in the distracting stylistic choices he made in for cinematography and editing. Additionally, although the script is well-written, it does not necessarily lend itself to the medium of film as well as it might for stage, since the monologue-driven structure requires the rapt attention of the audience without providing a story that deserves it.
Overall, though, Krasinski’s first shot as a director was a success, especially because of the subject matter and the performances.
* “Brief Interviews with Hideous Men” – 7 out of 10.