Review of Listen Up Philip (2014) by Caleb C — 02 Sep 2015

Less than an hour into this movie, I felt like there was already so much to dissect and analyze. I know it's pretentious to say that a movie feels 'literary,' but this really did - every line out of every character's mouth felt so perfect, so calculatedly chosen to provoke humor and emotion while also giving the audience a deep look inside the characters' minds. Sure, it's maybe not the most naturalistic of movies in terms of the dialogue - it does feel written. But it feels written in the best way.

It's just so dense. I'd be pausing constantly if I wanted to write every line that stuck out to me, or every thought I had about one of the characters, or the dynamic between any two of them. It's fascinating how Alex Ross Perry makes space to develop every one of the main characters, and it also seems like each viewpoint is chosen to come in at the correct time to relieve us of the previous viewpoint. Right when Philip reaches the height of his assholeishness, we take a long break from him and just focus on Ashley and how she's dealing with it. We see how she views Philip, and we see how quickly he could go from being this likable, hilarious, genuine person to being narcissistic and egotistical. It's beautifully illustrated in this flashback scene of Ashley practicing double- and triple-takes with Philip, and I laughed so hard as Ashley laughed so hard, because it was so cute and happy, but then Philip suddenly blows up at a guy in the bar and both Ashley's and my smiles slowly fade.

And then we see the viewpoint of Ike Zimmerman, a guy who's just like Philip but older and even more jaded, like the person Philip could easily become. At first, Ike seems like the wiser version of Philip; he wants the best for Philip and his writing, and it seems like this older guy could provide Philip with the grounding he so desperately needs. He's one of the few people who challenges Philip's authority and general behavior. But then we realize that Ike's advice could also bring out the worst in Philip, as when Ike tells him not to denigrate himself, saying that being blunt and egotistical will serve him well in his writing. And if there's one thing Philip does care about, it's himself and his writing.

There are so many ideas and potent images that Alex Ross Perry wants to cram in here that a voiceover is necessary. Some might say it's too much, and some of the voiceover explains things that are more obvious than other things. But one of the things I like the most about this movie is that there's no prancing around what idea he's going to EVENTUALLY get to. When we immediately recognize that Philip is an asshole, he starts getting called on it right off the bat. I love the scene with his ex-girlfriend, who tells him about how fame and success have turned him into such an unlikable person, because it made me blink and kind of laugh, having thought that it'd be a while before someone close to him actually calls him on anything. But I also love how unsentimental it all is, and how self-aware everyone is. As his ex tells him that, she's just kind of smiling, and she continues to grin at all the terrible things he's saying, as if she's just waiting him out. It's so much more effective than if she'd blown up at him.

All the acting is just so good, and it really says something that Jason Schwartzman is the least impressive of everyone. He's still fantastic, creating this utterly believable pretentious person, speaking in overly flowery language and acting utterly selfishly, but lashing out at people as if he's not the one who's selfish. Jonathan Pryce is so good, creating another contemptible man who will be jaded and bitter for the rest of his life. Krysten Ritter is great as his daughter, and you can just see how much she wants him to show her affection and pride, but all he does is call her a pain in the ass and a bitch. Still, everyone in the movie, crucially, has a point of view that makes sense. This isn't a world of cartoonish villains. Ike and Philip both act out of self-interest, but they have a definite moral code that they live by, and serious insecurities that make them act the way they do. Philip feels betrayed by Ashley just as she feels betrayed by him. Speaking of which - Elisabeth Moss is just phenomenal. Every twitch in her face deepens the character, and I was so invested in her story.

I'm not really sure what else to say about the story, because to try to get into some real analysis would open up a whole can of worms, and I feel like I need to rewatch it before I truly understand every character. But as it is, every scene and every character felt crucial, and every theme and idea felt fully explored. The camerawork and graininess were great, and I loved the super close-up shots, forcing us into the characters' perspectives. When it comes to indie dramedies, I tend to like slow-paced meandering and understated stories that naturally hint at bigger ideas (Crystal Fairy and the Magical Cactus, Happy Christmas, etc.), but this one was packed with ideas, and it left me thinking long, long afterward.