Review: Greenberg

Its fair to say that Noah Baumbach is an acquired taste, he seems to direct films about cold upper-class people who are unhappy with their lives. I thought The Squid and The Whale was fairly enjoyable mainly due to the performances from the young actors while I found Margot at The Wedding rather cold thanks to Nicole Kidman's icy performance. For his third feature Baumbach has been able to snag yet another big Hollywood star in Ben Stiller who plays Roger Greenberg the manic depressive who has just come out of psychatric care to houesit for his brother while he and his family are away. However Stiller doesn't appear on screen until at least ten minutes into the film instead we are also asked to follow Florence, the Greenberg's young housekeeper, who we meet in the very first frame of the film following her on her various errands. Predictably Florence and Roger form a kind of self-destructive relationship with both of them incapable of proper feelings this is very on-off. But this is a film about past regrets as Roger returns to L.A. after 15 years in New York he has to meet his old friends some of whom he let down when he decided not to sign a record contract for their band. One friend in particular, Ivan, hasn't quite forgivern him and is now working fixing computers and is currently seperated from his wife. The film then follows Roger's relationships with both Florence and Ivan and will look at the problems behind his instability.

Ben Stiller has tried films outside his comic safety-zone before especially in the Wes Anderson films, but Greenberg sees him play almost an unlikeable character who is incredibly selfish and often has arguments with people for no reason at all. But Stiller still seems to make him likeable and there are some very funny moments most involving Greenberg writing angry letters to various companies and also through his bonding with his brother's dogs. Rhys Ifans also gives a very low-key performance as the put-upon Ivan still trying to cope with Roger's friendship despite all he has already gone through with him. But it is Greta Gerwig's Florence who is the most relatable and likeable character, Gerwig is an accomplished actress whose performance is realistic and just very cute. Overall Greenberg, like most of Baumbach's films, isn't for everyone in fact five people walked out during the screening but it is quirky without being annoying and features a fine performance from an actress who has a bright future in front of her.