Review of While We're Young (2015) by Jodi A — 15 Jul 2015

Ben Stiller and Noah Baumbach again mine the rich comic vein of awkward situations and embarrassing self-centeredness in which they've struck gold successfully before. This time, Stiller and Naomi Watts are married and in their 40's, treading water in their careers and relationship.

When they happen to meet a young hipster couple, they refashion their lives as more intense and engaged - but ultimately, they find this new lifestyle more shallow and less fulfilling. Baumbach takes every opportunity to poke fun at those of us reaching a certain age (and perhaps a crossroads of sorts) and Stiller excels at haplessness.

However, the whole seems somewhat less than the sum of its parts (the trailer contains many of the best moments) - reminding me again that comedy is so difficult to pull off. Nevertheless, this was an amusing diversion (although I felt more insider commentary could have been offered given that Stiller and Watts play documentary filmmakers, with an unnaturally gentle Charles Grodin as their mentor/father).