To Mark Manson, there’s only one way to get through life: Not caring. He wrote all about it on a self-help book – or rather, an anti-self-help book, as he calls it – that became a global best-seller, and now he’ll take his message to the screen. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a #@%! is a documentary that aims to help you not take life so seriously through some reality check stories and a little bit of tough love.
The documentary is led by Manson himself, who is indisputably the best person to follow-up on his book’s stories and stress its message. Manson kicks off the trailer with a positive note: Through narration, he reminds you that “you’re going to die one day.” He goes on to say that we’re led to strive for goals that are pretty impossible to achieve, and social media plays a big part in influencing that.
The grim message is delivered with lots of humor, though, with emphasis on a panda commercial that went viral several years ago. Manson underscores that the documentary is ultimately about positivity, and its objective is to make people realize through the author’s lens that seeking a “perfect” life will possibly grant you anxiety and depression, all the while you ignore things that are far more important, like dedicating time to your kids.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a #@%! sold over 15 million copies around the world. Backed by both academic research and scatological jokes, Manson’s voice resonated with a whole world of people, which meant he was the best one to adapt his own story to the screen. In an official statement, however, Manson revealed he wanted to be deeply involved in the adaptation but quickly realized that making a movie is a far cry from writing a book, so he handed the reins to director Nathan Price:
“It was a big deal in the contract negotiations that I have creative input and I have veto power. I was very excited to get involved in the creative process, then I think it was like my second meeting with Nathan, I just realized I have no fucking idea how to make a movie and these people do. I was quickly humbled. […] I think this is the first major project in my career where I’m not the one making all the important decisions. I’m not used to that. Very early on I realized: ‘It’s okay, these people are the experts. I’m not. Shut the fuck up. Let them do their job.’”
Despite allowing other people to take over his pet project, Manson remained at the center by being the subject of the story, and revealed some really personal information that go beyond what he revealed in the book.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a #@%! is yet to get a release date.
You can watch the trailer below:
Check out the official synopsis here:
Based on the Global Bestselling Self-Help Phenomenon, The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck is a cinematic documentary designed to help us become less awful people. The author himself, Mark Manson, cuts through the crap to offer his not-giving-a-f*ck philosophy: a dose of raw, refreshing, honesty that shows us how to live more contented, grounded lives.
via Collider