Greenberg
Release: 22nd of July
Length: 107 Minutes
Rating: MA 15+ (Sex Scenes and Drug Use)
Ivan Schrank- “Youth is wasted on the young”
Roger Greenberg- “I'd go further, I'd go: life is wasted on... people”
From Academy award nominated writer/director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) comes Greenberg, a delightful film investigating the problems one confronts when attempting to fix past relationships and forge new ones while they are the most unlikable person on the planet. Sounds cringe worthy? Irritating? Well you'd be right, although in the usual fashion of Baumbach he gives the audience a reason to pay there fifteen bucks and sit down with them for 2 hours, it is simply fascinating.
Greenberg is about Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller), a neurotic, OCD carpenter/ex-musician who has discovered a way that he can distance himself from the realities of the world. Just released from a mental hospital Roger housesits his brothers family's home in Los Angeles while they're on holiday, leaving Roger alone with the dog and their personal assistant Florence Marr (Greta Gewig). After meeting Florence Roger becomes reliant on her (for he doesn't drive) and she is pleased to help out with his pitiful needs. Roger attempts to renovate the friendship with his past band member Ivan (Rhys Ifans) and start it fresh with his ex-girlfriend Beth (Jennifer Jason leigh) with no realisation that they themselves have grown up and moved on with their lives. Roger and Florence become close and Roger realizes he needs to escape from his funk if he really wants to live a happy life.
The film is very novel like, which Baumbach intended in his approach, so the audience watch the characters as an onlooker. This was very smart, since the characters are so terribly unlikable the audience could never be expected to sympathise or relate to them and follow their story so closely beside them, not this time, it becomes a cinematic exploration of the characters. It becomes clear in the beginning of the film that it takes this approach. It opens only on Florence, setting up her character, following her story when suddenly 20 minutes into the film Ben Stiller hits the screen and completely takes over and Florence becomes a secondary character. I my personal opinion, if the first 20 minutes were to be cut the film would potentially hold on to it's audience a lot stronger. I'm convinced of this speculation for I had first hand experience, my car broke down on the way to the press screening and I actually did miss the first 20 minutes of the film. Once I obtained a DVD from the states as quickly as possible, I learned nothing from what I had missed that I didn't already know from the rest of the film.
Apart from that minor belief Greenberg is otherwise superb, an amazing film that holds you right to the credits. The scenes between Roger and Florence in her apartment are narratively flawless. These two characters seem to be drifting by in a world where neither quite fit in, in other words, they're meant for each other, and need each other to realise this. Throughout the film Roger will constantly attempt to re-connect with his ex-girlfriend Beth and when failing to do so falls back into the lap of Florence, it becomes so frustrating for the audience for we can see the situation so clear cut, unlike Roger. Florence struggles in life also, her job, her social life, she has the theory that to fit into society she must please everyones expectations of her. Rather than living her own life the way she wants, quoting “I've got to stop doing things just because they feel good”.
Stiller's performance is not only refreshing from his usual undertakings but amazing in Greenberg's shoes, it seems Stiller can flex his skills when he gets the chance to, likewise Jim Carey's performance in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Roger comes across as quite an intelligent person and even though he has not a hint of charisma, he's intriguing, making him a strong protagonist for the film, the audience are forever interested in the way he acts towards others and their actions, much in the same vain as Nicole Kidman's character in Margot at the Wedding.
There are a couple of moments in the film that are quite random and haphazard. For example the dog becomes sick and has to be taken to hospital, then the story strand just drivels away without any connection to the main plot. In a way, these scenes are used to represent that randomness of life itself, for there is no major plot in life that all events must connect with. I respect anyones argument against this though, for it isn't life, it's a movie.
Greenberg may not be for everyone, for it isn't a Ben Stiller comedy, it's a Noah Baumbach Comedy, the difference is vast. However for people (like myself) who adore quirky, lo-fi, indie films that don't bound themselves to traditional narrative conventions you'll be touched by this beautiful film.
Distinction
