Review of In the Company of Men (1995) by David A — 20 Apr 2010

(from The Watermark, 09/14/97).

Yet another great low-budget independent film that hits you harder than anything big-budget Hollywood could turn out. Eckhart and Malloy are two bitter businessmen who are tired of being burned by women. To prove to themselves that they can exercise some type of control over the opposite sex, they concoct a sick plan in which the two of them woo a desperate woman, lead her to believe they both love her, and then dump her coldly. Their target is a beautiful deaf secretary (Edwards). The film explores male-female relationships, how men relate to each other in the world of business, and even touches upon themes of looksism. The scenes sometimes drag a little, but the film is an entertaining yet disturbing look at how people are capable of senselessly hurting one another. What is more fascinating is why we can find it so engrossing.