John Krasinski '02, best known for his role as Jim Halpert on the NBC comedy "The Office," made his first mark on the cinematic scene this past Monday. His film, "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men," which he wrote and directed, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Monday marked the film's world premiere, and it was one of 16 films selected for screening as part of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance. The 16 were chosen from a total 1,026 submissions, according to the film festival's Web site.
Krasinki adapted the screenplay for "Brief Interviews" from the late author David Foster Wallace's short story collection of the same title. The book is a compilation of often disquieting and satirical reflections on male behavior, several of which take the form of clinical interviews. According to a Jan. 18 article in The Boston Globe, Krasinski was inspired to create the film after his first encounter with Wallace's book during his senior year at Brown - a chance involvement in a staged reading of monologues - moved him to pursue an acting career.
The film centers on the character Sara Quinn, played by Julianne Nicholson ("Kinsey"). After a difficult and unanticipated breakup, Quinn, a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology, decides to embark on new research. She conducts interviews with men, documenting their diverse and often disturbing life experiences, and learns about herself in the process. Krasinski acts in the film as well.
"Brief Interviews" also features actors Bobby Cannavale ("The Station Agent") and Dominic Cooper ("The History Boys").
According to a Jan. 19 article in The Los Angeles Times, the movie has received particular attention as the first and only major adaptation of a book by Wallace, who committed suicide last September.
