I'll go a head and warn my review contains *SPOILERS* so if you haven't seen the film I then READ AT YOUR OWN RISK....
I went into the squid and the whale excited but realistic about my expectations for the film. I was impressed by Jesse Eisenberg in Roger Dodger and have always respected Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney and with Noah Baumbach helming I figured the movie was in capable hands. However I did fear that after viewing the trailer that I had already seen the best squid had to offer. In some ways I was right.
Firstly it deserves praise for it's portrayal of adolescent males. I found a lot of truth in Franks character. The scenes in which he studies himself in the mirror reminded me greatly of the same self absorbed and curious qualities I had at that stage in my life. However Baumbach played some of Franks sexual exploits and dirty language in a exploitive manner. The way he was portrayed made his character too much of a tool to shock the audience. In fact many scenes depicting sexuality seemed thrown in. The line were Bernard says to Lili, "Put me in your mouth" was petty and did little to reinforce any character traits that weren't already glaringly clear. I have no problem with risqué dialog or scenes that show characters in a despicable light. However that scene in particular seemed hollow. Bernard or Lili were not developed enough for me to really care that he would say something so rude to her. I already got that he was a self absorbed, loathing character. If Baumbach had used that line to trigger a stronger response in any of the three characters involved it would have felt natural. Instead we see nothing of Lili after and Walt didn't meditate very long after hearing something so low come from his father's mouth. I understand Bernard was a jerk, and used similar language around Walt. But still, it was far harsher then anything he uttered before or after. Yet no one seemed to really notice. I could see how combined with the final argument and Bernard's self absorbed lines in the hospital it could "justify" Walt to see his parents in a clearer light. Yet Baumbach let the moment pass to quickly missing what could have been a stronger beat. Which brings me to my main problem with the film. Baumbach's pacing never lets the audience into the characters heads. He throws things at you and the characters so fast that neither you nor they seem to have the time to let the emotions sink in.
The number one thing that troubled me however was the ending. I understand that Walt mentions he could never look at the squid and the whale fighting but come on! To have him go and look at a giant squid and the whale fight as a way to end the movie? Please, not only do I always question movies that use the title as a line in the film that is "really important" to the story but to have something as petty and unemotional as a character looking at a science sculpture! If it had been better shot it may have work, however I didn't even have the time to let the emotions of the scene sink in before I was slammed with a big Title Card!!! Honestly I felt I was watching an unfinished film and that the editor didn't know what to do so they just put a title card to let the audience know "yes that was all folks!"
One other thing I found useless was the "gag" although no one laughed where Joan comes out of the bathroom and the Walt says something about the nasty smell. Why include this? Was it funny? No! Was it important to the story, scene, or characters? No! All it did was leave a foul taste in my mouth for no reason.
Still for as much as I've said what didn't work Squid does have some good things going for it. I'd like to thank the whole crew for making a film about people and human relationships in a time when so many movies seem to be about nothing more then eye candy. Also big props to all the actors for fine performances.
Squid and the Whale is a much stronger film then most, which is why I was so disappointed that it couldn't rise above it's problems to be something truly special.
I went into the squid and the whale excited but realistic about my expectations for the film. I was impressed by Jesse Eisenberg in Roger Dodger and have always respected Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney and with Noah Baumbach helming I figured the movie was in capable hands. However I did fear that after viewing the trailer that I had already seen the best squid had to offer. In some ways I was right.
Firstly it deserves praise for it's portrayal of adolescent males. I found a lot of truth in Franks character. The scenes in which he studies himself in the mirror reminded me greatly of the same self absorbed and curious qualities I had at that stage in my life. However Baumbach played some of Franks sexual exploits and dirty language in a exploitive manner. The way he was portrayed made his character too much of a tool to shock the audience. In fact many scenes depicting sexuality seemed thrown in. The line were Bernard says to Lili, "Put me in your mouth" was petty and did little to reinforce any character traits that weren't already glaringly clear. I have no problem with risqué dialog or scenes that show characters in a despicable light. However that scene in particular seemed hollow. Bernard or Lili were not developed enough for me to really care that he would say something so rude to her. I already got that he was a self absorbed, loathing character. If Baumbach had used that line to trigger a stronger response in any of the three characters involved it would have felt natural. Instead we see nothing of Lili after and Walt didn't meditate very long after hearing something so low come from his father's mouth. I understand Bernard was a jerk, and used similar language around Walt. But still, it was far harsher then anything he uttered before or after. Yet no one seemed to really notice. I could see how combined with the final argument and Bernard's self absorbed lines in the hospital it could "justify" Walt to see his parents in a clearer light. Yet Baumbach let the moment pass to quickly missing what could have been a stronger beat. Which brings me to my main problem with the film. Baumbach's pacing never lets the audience into the characters heads. He throws things at you and the characters so fast that neither you nor they seem to have the time to let the emotions sink in.
The number one thing that troubled me however was the ending. I understand that Walt mentions he could never look at the squid and the whale fighting but come on! To have him go and look at a giant squid and the whale fight as a way to end the movie? Please, not only do I always question movies that use the title as a line in the film that is "really important" to the story but to have something as petty and unemotional as a character looking at a science sculpture! If it had been better shot it may have work, however I didn't even have the time to let the emotions of the scene sink in before I was slammed with a big Title Card!!! Honestly I felt I was watching an unfinished film and that the editor didn't know what to do so they just put a title card to let the audience know "yes that was all folks!"
One other thing I found useless was the "gag" although no one laughed where Joan comes out of the bathroom and the Walt says something about the nasty smell. Why include this? Was it funny? No! Was it important to the story, scene, or characters? No! All it did was leave a foul taste in my mouth for no reason.
Still for as much as I've said what didn't work Squid does have some good things going for it. I'd like to thank the whole crew for making a film about people and human relationships in a time when so many movies seem to be about nothing more then eye candy. Also big props to all the actors for fine performances.
Squid and the Whale is a much stronger film then most, which is why I was so disappointed that it couldn't rise above it's problems to be something truly special.