Sundance Photo Preview: John Wells' The Company Men

John Wells' The Company Men will screen at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival as part of the Premieres category. The film tells the story of three men trying to survive a round of corporate downsizing at a major company, and how that affects them, their families and communities over the course of one year. The film stars  Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello, Craig T Nelson, and Rosemarie DeWitt.

This is the feature directorial debut of Wells, who is best known for writing and producing hundreds of episodes of both ER and The West Wing. A lot of people are interested to see what he will be able to do with a feature film. It's also worth mentioning that eight-time Academy Award nominated cinematographer Roger Deakins shot the film.

Here is the official description from Sundance:

One of the first casualties of a corporate downsize is Bobby Walker, a hot-shot sales executive who is living the idyllic life—complete with two kids and a mortgaged picket fence. His boss, and founder of the company, doesn't take Bobby's severance well, and he storms into the boardroom to demand a reprieve of the severe measures. He learns quickly that some choices are out of his hands, and this is only the beginning. We embark on a journey that is all too familiar in today's recessionary economy: one that will test friendships, loyalties, and family bonds. John Wells explores the powerlessness of losing one's job while examining how anger, fear, and forced humility can replace the security of "normal." The inspired casting of great actors, lending their formidable insight to this timely story, makes The Company Men a tribute to America's unsung heroes: hard-working men caught in life's unexpected misfortunes.