Susan Hated Literature

May 14 2006

The Squid and the Whale

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir & Writ: Noah Baumbach

Jeff Daniels - Bernard Berkman
Laura Linney - Joan Berkman
Jesse Eisenberg - Walt Berkman
Owen Kline - Frank Berkman
Anna Paquin - Lili
William Baldwin - Ivan

A film about divorce set in the 80’s doesn’t really sound all that appealing, does it? Maybe not, but this is still a film worth seeing

I’m not sure how much of this is based on truth, but it seems that quite a bit of this film is based on Baumbach’s parent’s divorce, and there is a very strong sense of truth and honesty running through this film. And is quite a sad film, dealing as it does with the breakdown of a marraige, but at the same time it has some great humour.

It is the characters and acting that make this such a good film. Bernard is one of those overly academic types that has to analyse everything to death. Who is so sure of his own opinions that he isn’t happy until everyone else shares them. He has been a succesful author, but his most recent works haven’t been published. Joan, on the other hand, is an up-and-coming author, her work is excerpted in the New Yorker. Both husband and wife come across as caring, but somewhat distant parents to their two sons. It is almost as though they treat them too much as adults. Bernard in particular is guilty of this with Walt. Even more so after he leaves the family home and moves across the park.

But despite the excellence of Linney and Daniels, this film would be nothing if the two actors playing the sons didn’t deliver. And deliver they do.

Walt over identifies with his father. He worships him and takes all his opinions on board as though they were his own. He doesn’t even bother to read the books he recommends to a girlfriend, he so trusts his father’s opinion. In a way he is the perfect embodiment of the self-obsessed teenager, believing he is capable of greatness, and thinking he is so much better than others.

Frank seems hardest hit by the divorce. The youngest in the family he doesn’t share as many interests with his father. A fact emphasised when Frank tells Bernard that he is a philistine. That he wants to be a philistine. But he isn’t coping with the divorce to well, especially after being left behind by his father he ends up spending the weekend alone. He turns to drink and masturbation.

This isn’t a film everyone will enjoy, but I found it very entertaining, and moving in a non-sentimental way. The Bernard character comes across as more of a bad guy than anyone else, but there isn’t really any judgement being passed on any of these characters. They’ve all done silly stupid things, because that is what life is about. This film is content to simply present them and their actions and let the viewer decide on the meaning.

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Tags: 1980s, 8 Stars, Anna Paquin, black humour, comedy, divorce, drama, Jeff Daniels, Jesse Eisenberg, Laura Linney, Noah Baumbach, Owen Kline, relationships, The Squid and the Whale, William Baldwin

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Feb 25 2006

Good Night, and Good Luck

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

David Strathairn - Edward R. Murrow
Robert Downey Jr. - Joe Wershba
Patricia Clarkson - Shirley Wershba
Ray Wise - Don Hollenbeck
Frank Langella - William Paley
Jeff Daniels - Sig Mickelson

It is the 1950’s, and McCarthyism is rife in America as the hunt for reds under bed trundles on.

In CBS Ed McMurrow begins to highlight McCarthy’s scare tactics and methods on his current affairs television show. The film is told both by the actors and by actual footage from the time. We get to see McCarthy, to hear his own words, and see the scaremongering of the time.

Shot in black and white it all looks great, but the film itself was simply too subdued to grab my attention. I have a feeling that this may be because of the mood I was in while watching it, but the low-key nature of everything simply served distance me as a viewer from what was going on. I also didn’t like the way the film seemed to stop every now and then to let us hear a song. There were maybe three of four from Dianne Reeves. They did sound lovely, and helped to create an atmosphere, but I just felt that they slowed the film down.

Despite these few problems this is a film worth watching. Strathairn is fantastic as McMorrow, and all the supporting cast do great jobs.

It also performs very neatly at alerting us to the present day situation, and how we can learn for the past. Yet at the same time there is no sense that this is hitting anyone over the head. You can see lessons for today if you wish, but no one is forcing you.

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