Michael Shannon's directorial debut, "Eric LaRue," masterfully unravels how the son's sins impact both father and mother in his adaptation of Brett Neveu's 2002 play of the same name. Judy Greer and Alexander Skarsgård play two parents whose teenage son, invisible until the film's final moments, murdered three classmates in a school shooting. In the aftermath of the violence, the two are forced to rebuild their small community.
Director: Michael Shannon
Writer: Brett Neveu
Stars: Judy Greer, Paul Sparks, Alexander Skarsgård
Michael Shannon's directorial debut, "Eric LaRue," masterfully unravels how the son's sins impact both father and mother in his adaptation of Brett Neveu's 2002 play of the same name. Judy Greer and Alexander Skarsgård play two parents whose teenage son, invisible until the film's final moments, murdered three classmates in a school shooting. In the aftermath of the violence, both are forced to rebuild their small community.
Janice, played by Greer, aimlessly wonders how much she is guilty of her serial killer son's actions, while her husband finds solace by joining a new church and forming a close friendship with his fellow congregant and human resources executive, played by a completely unhinged Alison Pill. Their entire on-screen suburban community is built on the mundanity of conformity, with Janice's job at a large supermarket chain next to Big Lots and her husband's penchant for drinking beer only at Sizzlin' Sallies.
Greer is a force on screen, opposite a barely recognizable Skarsgård, who gives his all to a performance that should be comparable to a chameleon-like cosplay of Jeff from "Yellowjackets" (in the best sense of the word). Both characters seek forgiveness from each other as parents and from the community at large.
Janice asks her husband, her coworkers, and even the audience what she's "supposed to feel" as the mother of a monster. Her neglect is balanced by something deeper: the certainty that Eric was destined for disaster from a young age. When Eric begs his mother to make sure he tells his friends he feels remorse, Janice feels nothing at all. It's best enjoyed within the confines of Shannon's film, even if it involves many moments of profound discomfort.
"Eric LaRue" also deftly balances moments of dark humor thanks to the absurdity of the circumstances that unfold in the wake of an unthinkable tragedy. Playwright and frequent Shannon collaborator Neveu adapted his own play for the screen, and Shannon's sensitive direction makes "Eric LaRue" a captivating, standout film featuring the best performance of Greer's career.
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