Greenberg (2010) ***
Greenberg (2010) was a box office bomb and is my least favorite Noah Baumbach film, but it's still a very enjoyable little indie flick. I think I may have even enjoyed it a bit more on a rewatch, but I'm sticking with my star rating.
Ben Stiller is perfect in the titular role of Roger—a 40-year-old man recently released from a mental hospital, housesitting for his brother in L.A., just "trying to do nothing" and finding it impossible. Greta Gerwig is also perfect as the brother's personal assistant Florence—a 25-year-old woman who becomes involved with Roger and seems to just go with the flow when it comes to most things (particularly relationships), without thinking things through too much.
The trademark Baumbach awkwardness, honesty, and vulnerability is all there; it's just that the end product feels a little less focused than most of his output (though that kind of works for a character who seems to have no direction in his life).
You can find my Noah Baumbach Feature Films Ranked list here.
Ben Stiller is perfect in the titular role of Roger—a 40-year-old man recently released from a mental hospital, housesitting for his brother in L.A., just "trying to do nothing" and finding it impossible. Greta Gerwig is also perfect as the brother's personal assistant Florence—a 25-year-old woman who becomes involved with Roger and seems to just go with the flow when it comes to most things (particularly relationships), without thinking things through too much.
The trademark Baumbach awkwardness, honesty, and vulnerability is all there; it's just that the end product feels a little less focused than most of his output (though that kind of works for a character who seems to have no direction in his life).
You can find my Noah Baumbach Feature Films Ranked list here.
Comments
Post a Comment