Review of Greenberg (2010) by Alejandro L — 05 Aug 2013

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale (2005) and Margot at the Wedding (2007), Baumbach came up with the idea for this film with Jennifer Jason Leigh, who co-produced the film.

It's a dark comedy-drama about coming to terms with fortysomething life, but it has a sense of hope about it, and it has a brilliant lead performance at it's centre, and it walks a tightrope between quirky humour and serious heartbreak.

Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) has just been released from a mental hospital after a serious breakdown, his brother Phillip (Chris Messina) and wife Carol (Susan Traylor) are going on a family trip to Vietnam, and while they're away, they allow Roger to stay in their house.

Roger struggles to readjust to life again, he's 40 going on 41, and he has no ambition in life anymore. But, he strikes up a friendship with dog-walker Florence Marr (Greta Gerwig), who walks the Greenberg family's dog Mahler.

At a BBQ with friend Ivan Schrank (Rhys Ifans), Roger meets old girlfriend Beth (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who says Roger is brave for having no ambition in his life. However, sparks slowly start to fly between Roger and Florence, but she doesn't want a relationship just for sex, but Roger doesn't know what he wants.

It's a melancholy film and it's surprising that there is laughs to be found here, but they appear in quirky situations our hero find himself in, like coming to accept how a communal swimming pool works.

But, Baumbach gets the best from his cast, and it's tone rings true, not just for fortysomething viewers, but for viewers of any age, struggling to get along in a difficult world.