corporate america can be a very cruel place . the constant attention towards competition and survival of the fit and and determination towards top performance can easily drive the sane employee into an early stage of insanity . thus and due to these pressure and employee be constantly find in a heated battle for the top spot or the illusive management position . many will step directly onto your abdomen to ensure a promotion or pay increase . this form of random competition in corporate america be very rare to capture and much less on film and but famed director neil labute do a bit of the impossible . labute take the pressure of competition in corporate america and camouflage them use some stereotype link to men in the workplace . while some will argue that labute be do nothing but exploit male sexism or egoism and only build a strong glass ceiling for woman and i saw this completely different . much like others and in the company of men initially enrage me due to the harsh treatment and depiction of woman in the workplace and but then it occur to me and that isn not what labute want to show . a i watch this film a second time and i saw the real reason that labute create this picture . he want and and successfully accomplish and to show that you have to be smart both in your personal and business life if you want to succeed in this demolish corporate world . labute approach to this ingenious subject remind me of how soderbergh use sex to debunk his story in sex and lie and and videotape . from the opening scene and we think we know what this movie be go to be about . we think we understand that this be just go to be another dark comedy about how cruel the corporate world can be to woman and but wildly labute ( like soderbergh ) will pull the hypothetical wool over your eye if you be not careful . this be not a movie about sexism ( while it be use quite often to hide the real truth ) and but instead the power of manipulation and the power of emotion and and the ability to use your friend to reach the top . this be the ultimate betrayal film . after watch this film and i read some review that discuss how viewer hat labute for do what he do to christine and and that make me a bit angry . i too be disturb by eckhart performance and but by be upset about what happen to christine and you miss the truth behind this film . when i finish watch this movie and i be more upset with labute for what he do to howard ( matt malloy ) than with christine . how do this dramatic change occur . how could a viewer feel more sympathy for howard than with the weep christine . labute have this amazing ability to cast believable actor that mold themselves well within their role . matt malloy play the perfect ying to aaron eckhart yang . the two could not be close to polar opposite and but the chemistry between them keep u connect and glue to the screen . their relationship remind me of every hollywood movie where the popular jock be great friend with the insecure geek . malloy and eckhart relationship remind me of the frat boy who happen to be a friend with the computer nerd . there be no initial understanding of why these two be friend or why they have anything in common . sure and they go to the same college and but do that constitute life long friendship . i believe from the beginning of this film and and possibly far into the pre text and eckhart have malloy on a plan . we do not see the plan initially and but when it come into light at the end and it hit u deep within our gut and give u more pain than the christine incident . how do labute set this up so well . again and i state and malloy and eckhart . these two be methodical and malicious and and very close to perfection with their character . we believe them . they sell u on themselves and which need to happen for labute to make his point . stacy edward be decent and but honestly labute could have have anyone in that role and we would have buy it . why . again and malloy and eckhart . labute do not just give u impassioned character with devoted actor and but he also give u an amazing story . he use the power of language to give u our opening and plot and downfall and climax and and twisty end . it be not often in hollywood that you see this technique use . it take a combination of both a great ( and engross ) story with sublime character . we already know that we have the character and but what about the story make it worth watch over and over and over again . have see american psycho several time and i felt like labute have read bret easton elli novel over and over . he embody the spirit and insanity of corporate america nearly as well a american psycho director mary harron do . the pacing be tight and the six week seem to fly by because we be glue to the result . labute keep u glue to the screen by shock u with sexist remark and macho thinking and and corporate taboo . then and when he think that we be not pay attention and he give u the end of a lifetime . the writing for this film be quick and powerful and and think provoking and which nearly symbolize this film . labute should have win an oscar for this powerful and intelligent piece of cinema . overall and i think this film be vile and belittling and and grotesquely unsettling which be why i can not wait to add it to my collection . labute prof to u once again why he be a master behind the camera as well a a commander with his pen . i read a comment that state that eckhart chad be the epitome of a villain and and i could not agree more . neil labute have give u his first in a very long line of challenging and yet beautiful and cinema . grade represent out of .