Greenberg (Baumbach)

[B-side]

Trailer (http://www.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/greenberg/).

Looks fairly average. Maybe it's just the trailer, but it doesn't seem to really have much of that Baumbach touch that made Margot at the Wedding and The Squid and the Whale so good.

[Watashi]

Great trailer, but I also loved the trailer to Margot at the Wedding. This one looks a little less mean-spirited.

[Boner M]

Garden State 2: Middle-Aged Boogaloo

Looks kinda pleasant.

[Grouchy]

Huh, Baumbach is a walking turd. He defines everything that is wrong with yankee indie movies.

[angrycinephile]

I'll see it.

The Squid and the Whale is the only thing I've seen from Baumbach and I thought that one was pretty terrific.

[NickGlass]

Garden State 2: Middle-Aged Boogaloo

Looks kinda pleasant.

Bingo. It's a bit disheartening, no?

[Raiders]

Huh, Baumbach is a walking turd. He defines everything that is wrong with yankee indie movies.

Or you know, not.

[Grouchy]

Or you know, not.
I'm leaning towards yes.

[monolith94]

I'd be curious to see how Armond White responds to this...

[chrisnu]

I liked it.

This reminds me that I should get around to seeing Margot at the Wedding some time.

[dreamdead]

Happy to see one of the indie actors from MUMBLECORE!!! in a more inclusive acting environment. That said, the story looks exactly like I'd expect it to look. Though it's always nice to see Leigh in films.

[Grouchy]

This reminds me that I should get around to seeing Margot at the Wedding some time.
I wish I could do something to talk you out of it.

[baby doll]

I wasn't a fan of Baumbach's earlier films that I've seen (Kicking and Screaming and The Squid and the Whale were amusing but slight; I haven't seen Mr. Jealousy), but he finally won me over with Margot at the Wedding. I don't understand the party line against the film that it's "mean spirited"; the characters in The Squid and the Whale are also pretty unlikable, especially Jeff Daniels' character who's an ass-hole from scene one, yet no one to my knowledge has called it mean-spirited. I haven't seen the trailer for the new one, because I don't like watching trailers and they're generally misleading anyway, but I'll probably see the film no matter what; I just hope Baumbach hasn't lost his edge.

[baby doll]

Happy to see one of the indie actors from MUMBLECORE!!! in a more inclusive acting environment.What does that mean? Are there non-white people in this movie?

[dreamdead]

What does that mean? Are there non-white people in this movie?

Not really. Just expressing my interest that an actor traditionally associated with gettin' nekkid in non-scripted NY slacker movement has actually been able to integrate into the larger acting pool in Hollywood. It's good for her, even if she isn't the most diverse of faces.

[baby doll]

Not really. Just expressing my interest that an actor traditionally associated with gettin' nekkid in non-scripted NY slacker movement has actually been able to integrate into the larger acting pool in Hollywood. It's good for her, even if she isn't the most diverse of faces.Okay, because I was thinking that (i.e., non-white people) would be a real depature for both Mumblecore and Baumbach.

[B-side]

I don't understand the party line against the film that it's "mean spirited"; the characters in The Squid and the Whale are also pretty unlikable, especially Jeff Daniels' character who's an ass-hole from scene one, yet no one to my knowledge has called it mean-spirited.

Yeah, it confuses me, too.

[Pop Trash]

This is suddenly my most anticipated movie of the new year.

[Pop Trash]

This is suddenly my most anticipated movie of the new year.
...aaand my anticipation was right on. This was mostly wonderful.

[Cherish]

I wasn't a fan of Baumbach's earlier films that I've seen (Kicking and Screaming and The Squid and the Whale were amusing but slight; I haven't seen Mr. Jealousy), but he finally won me over with Margot at the Wedding. I don't understand the party line against the film that it's "mean spirited"; the characters in The Squid and the Whale are also pretty unlikable, especially Jeff Daniels' character who's an ass-hole from scene one, yet no one to my knowledge has called it mean-spirited.

I don't know that I'd describe Margot as mean-spirited, but the big difference between the two movies, for me, is that Squid is told primarily from the kids' point of view. Even though the older son aspires to be an asshole like his father, he has an important change of heart at the end. In Margot, you don't get to know the kids well enough for them to function in a similar way.

[Pop Trash]

I don't know that I'd describe Margot as mean-spirited, but the big difference between the two movies, for me, is that Squid is told primarily from the kids' point of view. Even though the older son aspires to be an asshole like his father, he has an important change of heart at the end. In Margot, you don't get to know the kids well enough for them to function in a similar way.

Right, Margot felt like it was the two sisters being bitter and cold with Jack Black adding to the bitter, cold fest. The Squid and the Whale was diluted by the kids and even the mom offering glimmers of tenderness and a better dichotomy between these two personalities.

I was actually surprised by how warm Greenberg often is. The trailer makes Greenberg (the character) to be this chronic crank, but I never felt like he was too oppressive (and often very funny). I actually thought Greenberg's brother came off as more of an asshole.

[Derek]

I haven't seen the trailer for the new one, because I don't like watching trailers and they're generally misleading anyway

You don't watch trailers before the movies you see in the theater? Just curious because that accounts for the two times I've seen this trailer. The fact that James Murphy did the soundtrack is what really piqued my interest, though as a fan of Baumbach's previous two efforts, I was gonna see it anyway.

[Boner M]

I was actually surprised by how warm Greenberg often is.
Really? Other than the tones of Savides' cinematography (by far the best thing about the film, along with Rhys Ifans), I thought warmth was what it needed more of. I mean, gimme unlikeable characters any time, but not when they're this screamingly dislikeable and otherwise devoid of interest.

The more I think of the film, the more I can't find a compelling reason for it to exist. I feel I could faintly praise it as "keenly observed" or some variation, just as easily as I could write it off as a shapeless exercise in navel-gazing on its creator's part. Ehh... I'll sit on it for now.

[Pop Trash]

Really? Other than the tones of Savides' cinematography (by far the best thing about the film, along with Rhys Ifans), I thought warmth was what it needed more of. I mean, gimme unlikeable characters any time, but not when they're this screamingly dislikeable and otherwise devoid of interest.

The more I think of the film, the more I can't find a compelling reason for it to exist. I feel I could faintly praise it as "keenly observed" or some variation, just as easily as I could write it off as a shapeless exercise in navel-gazing on its creator's part. Ehh... I'll sit on it for now.

Yes, by warm I mean both the filmmaking itself and also some of the characters. Obviously Roger Greenberg is meant to be a crank in the spirit of Woody Allen/Ghost World's Seymore/Paul Giamatti's characters in American Splendor or Sideways, but I'm not sure what's wrong with focusing a movie around him? Plus it's one of the best films I've seen that touches on the classic Generation-X guy who somehow lost the last fifteen years of his life and still relates to the world like it was 1993 (or still living in Stiller's own Reality Bites).

I think it's just as good of an observational character piece as Happy-Go-Lucky, in how Greenberg relates to others and how other personalities contrast with his own. I'm mostly talking about the scenes with Greta Gerwig and the fantastic final party scene where Greenberg both attempts to relate to the 20 year olds and knock their generation for what he feels are flaws.

[trotchky]

Garden State 2: Middle-Aged Boogaloo

Looks kinda pleasant.

Fortunately it wasn't.

Baumbach continues to walk the line between the cringe-inducing urban hells of Ronald Bronstein and his sister and the more accessible, quirky charms of Wes Anderson. Character for character, everyone is at least as obnoxious and unlikable as everyone in Margot at the Wedding.

It's a sideshow of miserable people which is pretty cool in my book. Unlike the characters Pop Trash lists, these people are real serious louts. Whatever faint comedy exists is a vague distraction from how much everything fucking hurts. A good movie.

[MadMan]

No interest in seeing this, although I will at some point watch a Baumbach movie.

[chrisnu]

I liked it quite a bit. I enjoyed how the characters are conceited, self-loathing, misanthropic, and desperately hungry for love at the same time.

[trotchky]

Well said.

[Boner M]

I liked it quite a bit. I enjoyed how the characters are conceited, self-loathing, misanthropic, and desperately hungry for love at the same time.
Isn't that like every movie character in LA, ever?

[chrisnu]

Isn't that like every movie character in LA, ever?
Hmm. If the movie were set in New York or San Francisco, or any urban area, really, I doubt it would've made a difference.

[Boner M]

IMDb user comment:


Greenberg is a fabulous movie that has entertains the whole way, Fantastic. Hollywood veteran director Noah Baumbach does an amazing job and I cant wait for his next release. The story is copied of three men and a baby, but is funnier and has liberal attitudes added in. Stiller is a true talent and finally he gets his credit, a true comedian. Mina Badie gives a decent performance and does a good job. Susan Traylor delivers a good performance and suits as the sidekick. Its amazing that the movie has so much comedy and yet it has emotional scenes too. The first scene in this film has many sexy actresses in it, my favorite has to be Greta Gerwig. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jessica Mills, Brie Larson are all very sexy and I wish I was dancing with them.

Surprise film at the Lahore Film Festival, and a sweet feel-good story despite some mediocre acting and plot holes....

[baby doll]

Okay, I'm gonna call it: Best American film of the year.

[Briare]

Margot at the Wedding easily rivals almost anything Baumbach's buddy Wes Anderson has made so it was rather disheartening for me when I saw Greenberg and I almost can't figure out if its the writing or the acting that prevents it from being good and I don't understand, Baumbach has been involved in creating a few of the best movies of recent years so why is it that this plays off like some amateur rip off of his sometimes collaborator. Awkward from slide one and never really achieving any real depth into what makes Greenberg tick, Baumbach might have has better luck trying something even more different after Fantastic Mr Fox, because in movies like this the plot plays second fiddle to character growth and originality. Greenberg barely has a plot but its characters are unrealistic and the actors are unconvincing and at times, obnoxious and overall lack the quiet defeat and brewing anger that his previous movies better used in better characters.

In other words, I hated it.

[Derek]

IMDb user comment:

Good to see Ben Lyons writing again.

[eternity]

Fucking absurd.

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/images/column/marchy/greenbergrage2.jpg

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2010/04/big_greenberg_d.php

[megladon8]

That's nothing compared to this...


http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/7376/cinesubtitlewarningmoth.jpg


WARNING: This Movie is Subtitled! (http://www.cinematical.com/2010/04/02/warning-this-movie-is-subtitled/)

[Ezee E]

Heh, both are funny. Would someone really see Mother without the knowledge that it's subtitled?

[angrycinephile]

That's ridiculous.

So the general public hates this movie? Pretty much guaranteed it's worth seeing then, amirite?

Still, it was pretty much a given people would walk in to this expecting There's Something About Mary and be disappointed.

[megladon8]

Heh, both are funny. Would someone really see Mother without the knowledge that it's subtitled?


Yeah, it's not like it's something you see an ad for on Saturday night cable. "Oh man, I should check that out!"

[Milky Joe]

Who the hell asks for a refund just because they didn't like the movie?

Anyway, this was a beautiful film. I'd love to hear more from baby doll, because I have a feeling I'll agree.

[eternity]

Who the hell asks for a refund just because they didn't like the movie?

Scumbags. I know plenty of people who do it, and they're all scumbags, and it's always for good movies, or at least movies that aren't terrible.

[Boner M]

I've gotta say, despite being mixed-to-negative on the film, the long party scene and the conversations between Stiller and Rhys Ifans have left an indelible impression.

[baby doll]

I'd love to hear more from baby doll, because I have a feeling I'll agree.I'm working on something for the ol' blog, but it's pretty obvious and boring. I'll post it in a day or two.

"I'm fair to middling. Leonard Maltin would give me two and a half stars."

[Adam]

Still bummed this left such a bad taste in my mind grapes, because I went in fully expecting to love it. It's not so much a lack of humanity, it's more the miscalculated sense of pride it takes in its characters' pathetic behavior. There's no justification for the ostensibly happy ending Greenberg and Greta Gerwig get. You can have a film filled to the brim with as many angry or sad bastards as you want, but something about these characters and their actions felt like such the worst kind of dishonesty to me

That said, to echo Boner, Rhys Ifans really is totally charming and the look of the thing is perfect for the period of filmmaking Baumbach was trying to evoke

[Bosco B Thug]

Yay.

It's unevenly written - like in all of Baumbach's films, there's too much inexplicable and barely accountable behavior that verges on totally unbelievable and contrived, in this case Greenberg's initial storm-out on Florence and the lame "F*ck everything, I'm taking a plane to !" fake-out.

But the film is undeniably affecting, it hits lots of raw nerves about aging and life, and its tableau becomes surprisingly rich by the end with the party scene's youth critique added on for size. I also very much appreciated that the film was not out to throw Greenberg under the bus by the end, and that his culpability is actually gradually, subtly sized [i]down instead of piled on, which was surprising. I'll admit I was happy it ended rom-com-sappy instead of what-the-fuckly like Margot. I like both films about the same overall, though. Well, Margot might be more interestingly made, actually.

[Ivan Drago]

One cool part of this film some are neglecting to mention: James. Murphy.

[MadMan]

Ben Stiller is actually one of my favorite comedic actors (which is why when he does stupid shit like Meet the Fockers I cringe), and he showcased his dramatic chops with The Royal Tenenbaums. So I've changed my mind and become now very interested in seeing this, although I've still never viewed a Baumbach directed film (I've seen one he helped write, though, which was The Life Aquatic).

[Raiders]

Hm, this film did almost nothing for me. I'm not sure I can fully articulate it, but the film simply failed to really illuminate either main character or really give any proper background or underlying drive to their actions and emotions. The "why" might typically be trite in many films, but something more than what was defined here seems necessary. Otherwise, the awkwardness, the outbursts, the angst and the assholishness just kind of came off with a "so what?" in that each seemed equally unaccountable as the other. It's all mainly seeming to go for a generational conflict, which most of Stiller's dialogue, especially in the party scene, makes overwhelmingly explicit, but I don't know that I buy that Baumbach really understands either generation very well, certainly not enough to give any great definition to them--it's all lost dreams, mid-life aimlessness and self-absorption clashed with youthful directionless and "new age cruelty." The film's main accomplishment seems to be in showing that awkwardness spans generations.

It's got some touching moments and appropriately grungy photography and dialogue (name the scenes between Stiller and Ifans), but I think the abrupt ending, which admittedly does successfully undercut Stiller's attempts to convince himself he is a man out of his time and his own incapacity for happiness, sort of sums it all up: quaint and fleeting character moments leaving almost no real impression.

[Pop Trash]

Sorry Raiders, but you missed the boat. The more I think about this and the more I read about it, the more I love it. One of the few 2010 flicks I saw twice and it was even better the second time.

[Raiders]

Sorry Raiders, but you missed the boat.

:pritch:

[Dukefrukem]

It's subtle yes, and funny at times but definitely awkward. Can't see myself sitting through this again. Disappointed because I remember MC loving this.

[Pop Trash]

It's subtle yes, and funny at times but definitely awkward. Can't see myself sitting through this again. Disappointed because I remember MC loving this.

Easily one of my favorite films of the last ten years.

[ledfloyd]

I rewatched this recently, and despite being initially dismissive of it, I think it is one of the best American films of the current decade. Although. of course it's been outclassed by Frances Ha.