Many actors have made the move into directing either in film or television, and that tradition continues as Oscar-nominated actor Michael Shannon goes behind the camera for his directorial debut Eric LaRue. Adapted from the stageplay by Shannon’s good friend, Brett Neveau, the film is a tough and honest look at the aftermath of a school shooting and how it affects the parents of the shooter (the film’s titular Eric) and the victims.
One thing that probably made Shannon’s task easier in directing this drama is the fantastic cast he assembled, beginning with Judy Greer and Alex Skarsgård. They play Janice and Ron LaRue, the parents of the shooter who are trying to get back to their lives while their son sits in jail and while dealing with ongoing hatred from their community for their son’s actions. Although there’s definitely some DNA between Eric Larue and the 2021 drama Mass, another directorial debut by an actor, in that case, Fran Kranz, it’s also a very different movie since it actually follows Janice and Ron’s separate journeys with faith playing a large part.
Cinema Daily US had a chance to speak with Greer and Skarsgård recently about the drama that shows off both actors’ more dramatic skills, talking about the subject of the film, as well as some of their castmates, Paul Sparks, Alison Pill, Tracy Letts, and Annie Parisse.
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Director: Michael Shannon
Screenwriter: Brett Neveau
Cast: Judy Greer, Alexander Skarsgård, Paul Sparks, Alison Pill, Tracy Letts, Annie Parisse
Producer: Karl Hartman,Sarah Green, Jina Panebianco
Production Co: CaliWood Pictures, Big Indie Pictures, Brace Cove Productions
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Violence|Some Sexuality|Language)
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): April 4, 2025
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes
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You can watch the trailer below: