Review: GREENBERG
rating: 4
Noah Baumbachs Greenberg (now on general release in the U.K.) stars Ben Stiller in the title role as an anxious, middle-aged man whose recent nervous breakdown has left him determined to do nothing for a while. Greenberg moves to LA from New York at the start of the film, ostensibly to build a dog house for his brothers family who are out of town. Soon he meets Florence (Greta Gerwig), his brothers PA, who checks in to see that he is ok in the house. The film revolves around Greenbergs trouble in moving on with his life and accepting his place in the world as he clings to old friendships, in the shape of his former college bandmates and his ex-girlfriend. This refusal to move on comes at the expense of developing his feelings for Florence or wanting to meet new people. He is permanently agitated with the world in which he lives, writing letters of complaint to various companies on an almost daily basis. Along the way he learns that hurt people hurt people, a message which he admits says sounds trite but that rings very true and superbly underpins Baumbachs touching, neatly observed and often funny film. On this occasion Baumbach co-wrote the script with Jennifer Jason Leigh (who also plays Greenbergs ex-girlfriend) but there is no mistaking that this is from the same author as The Squid and the Whale with its attention to character detail and subtly. In recent years he has been a steady co-writing partner of Wes Anderson and there is something of an Anderson-like quality to this story, most notably the fact that Greenberg bares an uncanny resemblance to Luke Wilsons Anthony in the 1996 film Bottle Rocket (with both characters having spent time in a mental hospital prior to making a decision to do nothing). But whereas Andersons films are hyper-stylised and embrace an almost fantastical colour palette, Greenberg seems like Baumbachs entry into the world of so-called mumblecore filmmaking, owing to the films relatively lo-fi aesthetic (something seemingly backed up by the presence of actors Mark Duplass and Greta Gerwig stalwarts of the movement).
The subtly of the writing is complemented by terrific performances. Ben Stiller delivers his most restrained screen performance since The Royal Tenenbaums playing everything straight, whilst the supporting cast of Rhys Ifans, Duplass and Leigh are all really solid. Particularly Ifans who is pleasingly allowed to retain his Welsh accent (although Greenberg describes him as having come from England). The real star of the show, however, is Gerwig who is a beguiling and effortlessly engaging presence throughout the film. Trailers have understandably focussed on Stiller, but Gerwigs Florence is of almost equal importance to the narrative which actually starts following her for around a quarter of an hour before we even catch a glimpse of the titular character. Gerwig imbues Florence with an unspoken underlying sadness but without making the character seem at all downbeat or depressive. She is earnest and compassionate and beautiful. The fact that she somehow makes all these traits seem ordinary is all the more remarkable to behold. The most breathtakingly beautiful moments of the film are those that follow Gerwig as she sings along to Paul McCartneys Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey in her modest studio flat or gets dressed after a one-night stand. When she impulsively asks Greenberg could you ever love me? the moment is profoundly moving and totally honest, never becoming saccharin. Greenberg is also impressive in the way that it depicts anxiety, ageing and social awkwardness (by now a sub-genre in itself), in a way which is just as precise and heartfelt as The Squid and the Whale was at looking at the cultural mark that parents leave on their children. A scene where Greenberg meets with his ex-girlfriend in a café, with the intention of rekindling their relationship, is spot on. The pain we feel, as we see him realise that everything he brings up from their past was only of significance to him, is tangible. She casually reveals that she has forgotten most of their time together and that she feels it had no long-term significance. We could have gotten married and had kids he says. Do you think so? she replies with incredulity. It was an important relationship for me he confirms indignantly and with a pained look in his eye. In the same scene he tells her that his brothers dog is unwell, to which she replies that her mother is unwell. Greenberg carries on talking about his brothers dog. Like Jeff Daniels in The Squid and the Whale, Greenberg is self-absorbed with little self-awareness and with a high propensity to psychoanalyse others and offer solutions to their problems. But he isnt a bad person or a heartless one and in fact we can feel for him even as he behaves unreasonably. There are many more moments I would love to share in this review, but Id far rather you went and saw the film yourself and so I will refrain from spoiling them here. With Greenberg, Baumbach again shows that he understands people and relationships better than almost any other filmmaker working today. If you like low-key, character driven films full of funny, deadpan humour then I would suggest you seek this out. 2
Greenberg is rated '15' by the BBFC and can be seen on limited release in the U.K.