Review of Greenberg (2010) by Archibald T — 22 Mar 2011

Florence is Phillip Greenberg's assistant. Him and his family are going on vacation for six weeks to Vietnam. Something to do with him opening a hotel there, I think. She's notified before they leave about Phillip's brother Roger who will be looking over the house in the meantime. He just got out of a mental institution for which he went to after suffering a nervous breakdown. She's okay with that.

Florence has a child-like quality about herself. She's very sweet, but lost, confused and isn't sure of herself. She even has a line that she repeats with each guy she's about to sleep with: 'I just got out of a bad relationship.' She tells one guy. 'This isn't a relationship,' he tells her. 'I know,' she replies as she goes into the room with him. It's almost as if she's wanting to take it slow with each guy she meets, but can't get pass up on what feels good. I think it's a connection that she longs for like most us do.

While Roger house sits for his brother, he makes a dog house to show what effort he may have in actually following through with something. He's decided to do nothing for a while. Something I can relate to. He's a very opinionated, mean spirited guy. He writes letters to Starbucks, American Airlines, Mayor Bloomberg and Hollywood Pet Taxi's protesting the many things he finds to be wrong. He hates the world, even the young people of today with their facebooks and Ipods.

He has a friend, an old band buddy named Ivan who puts up with Roger. While celebrating Roger's birthday at a restaurant, in one of my 2nd favorite scenes in the film, Ivan and Roger's relationship is examined briefly. Some of the most interesting banter from these two guys is probably the best I've seen in a while. Stiller and Ifans have a great chemistry at playing old buddies who think about the past. One detail from their past from which Roger left the band before they could've signed a record deal has left Ivan and few other of Roger's old chums with resentment.

A blow out between Ivan and Roger rears it's head at a party as the truth comes out with Roger's real reason for leaving the band. Some friendships can evaporate when change takes over. Ivan is a father and Roger is a fuck up. You can see the dividing line just before it comes into view. It only takes just a few words to see the truth and before you know it another friendship breaks in two. It makes me wonder how Ivan and Roger must've been like before their lives had become exactly how they are now. Oh well, who knows.

Roger is always stuck with having to call Florence especially when the family dog isn't feeling well. Their relationship isn't a romantic one. It's an extremely awkward one. Love doesn't enter the picture when you know that these two people aren't normal. They want to be, but it's hard for them to escape from themselves. I like how it didn't fall for conventional quirky romantic elements that you usually get from films like this. These two people don't need to be catered to in that kind of formula when their lives are fucked up. It should gradually allow itself to bloom into what it really wants to be. By the end of the film, you can see that Roger knows what will be.

This was a great film despite it's cold hearted main character. Stiller plays something other than himself which was nice to see for a change and Gerwig, however, almost seemed like she was playing herself, maybe? She did a great job and I think I'm in love with her. Rhys Ifans gets an honorable mention. He did an equally great job at playing Ivan. The script is like a novel and the film plays the same way. The high point factor, for me, would have to be the party scene where Roger gets coked up and begins to be himself while around a bunch of younger people. Kind of re-imagining his youth. It played out extremely well. If I had to give a negative it would be the icy cold quality it feels. The characters aren't too likeable and it does have a mundane quality which balances out the character study for which this film really is.