Many New Mexicans know actor Patrick Fabian from his signature performance in “Better Call Saul” as attorney Howard Hamlin. Fabian is back in town this weekend for the Albuquerque Film & Media Experience to showcase his latest film, “The Way We Speak.” It is director and writer Ian Ebright’s first feature. Fabian spoke with KUNM’s Megan Kamerick about the film, which starts with a quote by Gore Vidal – “Envy is the central fact of American life.
PATRICK FABIAN: I think it sets it up, because the character that I play, he's consumed with a sense of envy. Talk about not being satisfied with where you are and always spending your time, and, frankly, wasting your time wishing you were somewhere else. And I think that's sort of a central tenet of the film as well. You know, we bring into it the notion of existence of God and how we treat one another. But really, Simon is somebody who is so blinded by jealousy that he is focused on one thing, ignoring all the rest of the things in his life basically.
I don't think it's a unique state of being. I think a lot of people are Simon on various degrees as they go through life. And you know, it can lead you to a path of regret, and it can lead you to a path of brittleness and having a bit of a withered heart. So this quote of envy is the central thing of American life, and particularly in America, where we're big fans of being number one and we're big fans of bigger is better and we're second place, steak knives, right, who cares? When you're brought up in that culture, and brought up that at all costs, you must do this, it has a price. Especially if you don't really achieve it.
KUNM: What drew you to the script?
FABIAN: I've read a lot of scripts over 30 years. My IMDb, if you take a look at any of the stuff you can see, you know, I've worked on some things that were, shall we say, better than others. And and I started reading it, and immediately I was like, “Oh, I love the script, because Ian is trying to say something. He's reaching for something. I'm not even sure what he's trying to say.” And I said that to him. I called him up, I got his number, and I called to say, “Can we talk? And I got him on the phone. I said, “Hey, I don't even know exactly what it is you're trying to say, but I'm interested in collaborating and trying to figure it out. I like the fact that you're trying to do this.” I mean, as you see in the film, you know, we don't have a car chase and we're not at a strip joint. I mean, we're not 20. And I like that. I'm like, look at him. In a world that's on fire and falling down around our ears, here's a guy who's wrestling with like, what's it mean to be human? I like that, and he was open to collaboration.
When I say collaboration, I don't pretend I'm a writer or anything. It's just nice to know that the director, the person in charge, is willing to entertain other ideas as I do my part of it, which is interpreting what they wrote the way I see it, and I think we had a real great give and take with that. And he did that, by the way, not just with me. There was no special deference. He came to the project like that basically saying, “I'm not sure either. What's in between the scenes? Let's find out.” And that was fun to work on in a true independent sort of fashion.
KUNM: Your character, Simon Harrington, is rather unlikable, but also quite complicated. What did you draw on to build him?
FABIAN: I guess he is unlikable. I'm even reluctant to say that, because I'm such a broken child, and in the end, I just want everybody to like me, even if I'm playing, you know. I mean, it's like I still try to fill that hole like we all are, or at least like most actors. I do believe that there is in Simon's worldview, in how he has constructed the way the world looks, he is not behaving badly. He doesn't suffer fools. He's not there to cuddle you if you can't keep up, because he's done the work. Here's the one thing, Simon is intelligent. He is smart, the fact that he wasn't like his mentor, George, the fact that he wasn't as famous as George or as well-renowned as George, is the thing that eats it Simon and drives him.
I don't think they're that far off, but that's life, and that's a hard pill to swallow. I think he tries his best, but at this stage of his life, which is two-thirds of the way through, and if he's lucky, the ability to recognize that you ought to, maybe, behave a little bit better is sort of lost. He's managed to bull his way into this middling area, and with Diane Coconubo, who plays my wife, I think she's the heart of the film. Because she doesn't have a lot of words, but she anchors around Simon and reflects -- you must have watched it and said, like, “Well, now what's she doing with him?”
KUNM: It was fascinating to watch her. I was like, “What is she doing?”
FABIAN: Right. What is she doing? And when I saw it too, I was like, “Look at me. I'm moving as fast as I can. Look at me. Look at me dancing.” And she's just quietly there, and you're drawn to her. What is going on? What is she thinking? It really -- it's about Simon, finally, well, finally, but way too late, appreciating what he's had by his side all this time. It's really a tragedy, is what it is. It's a cautionary tale, if ever there was one.
KUNM: Well, Patrick Fabian, thanks for talking with me.
FABIAN: Thanks for having me on.
“The Way We Speak” will screen at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lobo Theater as part of the Albuquerque Film and Media Experience. He will also be onstage in conversation at the theater at 1 p.m.
