Shia LaBeouf is no doubt a controversial figure and his controversy may get more complicated with a new look into his life with the documentary, Slauson Rec. The film is a raw, unrelenting recount of the theatre company he started and opened up to the general public, regardless of whether they had acting aspirations or not. According to Variety, the documentary was a late entry into Cannes and director Leo Lewis O’Neil seemingly doesn’t hold back on what he exposes to the viewers.
Slauson Rec screened at the festival’s Grand Palais on Sunday and was a rough and tumble roller coaster ride of emotions for the audience. Whereas LaBeouf convinces people that his theatre experience would be deeply personal, artful, liberating and cathartic, but his interactions with his students would also turn unnervingly intense, “complete with physical violence and harrowing screaming matches.” The bipolar nature of the film would even cause around thirty attendees to trickle out of the theater during the movie.
O’Neil explained that the documentary came about when he showed up to attend LaBeouf’s acting class and brought a camera with him. O’Neil explained to Vanity Fair that LaBeouf asked him if he would film everything that took place at Slauson. For better or for worse, that’s what he did over the course of the next few years. Even when O’Neil asked LaBeouf to sign off on it, the Transformers star gave him full approval to show all the shockingly true moments in its entirety without any bit of bias.
LaBeouf made the statement to Vanity Fair, “I gave Leo this camera and encouraged him to share his vision and his personal experience without edit. I am aware of the doc and fully support the release of the film. While my teaching methods may be unconventional for some, I am proud of the incredible accomplishments that these kids achieved. Together we turned a drama class into an acting company. I wish only good things for Leo and everyone who was part of The Slauson Rec Company.”
LaBeouf would also be present at the Cannes screening to view the footage for the first time and said, “I’m so grateful [O’Neil] still lets me around him and bring him ideas.” The film starts with a recent interview from the actor, where he admits, “I’ve done a lot of coming to terms with the failure that was my life, and the plastic foundation I had. I left a lot of people in the wake of my personality defects.” Despite the intense nature of the film, it still received a two-minute ovation when it concluded.
