Review of Greenberg (2010) by Shawn R — 02 Feb 2011

For Fans Of: Awkward, Stiller, Cynicism, Self loathing.

Date Night: Nope.

Art Factor: Medium.

Fun Factor: Medium.

Emotional Factor: Low.

Intelligence Factor: High.

Essential Viewing: No.

The Plot: A man fresh off a mental breakdown agrees to housesit for his brother's family for 6 weeks.

10 Quick Hits.

1) This is the type of movie that half of you will love the score and the other half will think I'm fucking nuts.

2) Like all of his other films, Noah Baumbach has given us completely polorizing art.

3) If you found Margot At The Wedding to much awkward to handle, you might just vomit watching this one. If you loved Margot than this is right up your alley.

4) One of the better looking of all of Baumbach's works. The man will never be called the next Scorsese, but he is improving and hell, at least he isn't as as bad with a camera as Kevin Smith.

5) Greta Gerwig is a true find for me personally. Beautiful and a great actress, I hope to see her in more films sooner rather than later.

6) Killer soundtrack.

7) The score is also pretty awesome for you score geeks out there.

8) Rhys Ifans is great in every single frame we are priviledged to enjoy him in. God I love that actor!

9) Ditto for Jennifer Jason Leigh.

10) Ben Stiller's performance has amazing depth and he really and truly makes the character his own. By the end of the pic its hard to tell where Stiller stops and Greenberg begins. One of my favorite performances he has ever given.

Final Thought: Though not for everyone, Greenberg is an amazing flick and I hope the lot of you find time for it. One of the best indies of 2010.