Ben Stiller and I have a rather tenuous relationship. I thought he was phenomenal in The Royal Tenenbaums but I also briefly considered genocide when I saw Starsky and Hutch. When I saw the previews for Greenberg, I knew I had to see it firstly because Ben Stiller was in it without Owen Wilson (and I don't think they've made a good movie together since Zoolander), and secondly because it looked more serious and I like it when comedians try to act in serious roles.
I don't believe that one can properly form an opinion on a movie until one has watched it twice. Greenberg is not the exception.
Stiller plays the title character, Roger Greenberg, who has previously suffered a nervous background and is now housesitting in L.A. for his wealthy brother who is vacationing with his family in Vietnam for six weeks. There are essentially two story lines or ways in which the movie branches off. The first, and most important is the *very* awkward relationship that Greenberg forms with his brother's personal assistant and housekeeper, Florence Marr (Greta Gerwig). The second branch, which ultimately ties into the first, has Greenberg trying to reconnect with some of his old friends, Ivan (Rhys Infans) being the main example.
This movie hurts...in both bad and good ways. It is very painful to see the interactions between Greenberg and Florence in how awkward they both are, but this seems to be what director Noah Baumbach is trying to accomplish. Both Greenberg and Florence are, despite their 20ish year age difference, seemingly at a loss on how to form genuine or at least non-superficial connections with people because of their various insecurities. Florence, for example, is in her mid to late 20s and is highly self-doubting because she is essentially a "fish out of water" in that she is a recent college graduate yet through lack of knowledge or drive has really failed to mature into a state where she knows what she wants to do. I would describe Florence, in one word, as "lost." This isn't a bad characterization, I'm sympathetic to Florence yet I find her annoying because of her own passivity at everything, including Greenberg.
Greenberg's chief problem seems to be his own lack of confidence. This is probably due to whatever caused his nervous breakdown to happen, but we're not given much as to what actually happened. He seems to cope with this insecurity by transferring it onto other objects, in that he writes many letters of complaint based on the most trivial of details. For example, he writes Delta Airlines complaining that the reclining button on his seat didn't work. However, most of Greenberg's insecurities are transferred to people. In his attempts to reconnect with his friends, Greenberg is constantly either playfully mocking or outright hostile towards them. This is because he seems to feel completely dissatisfied or let-down throughout the whole movie, like someone didn't make good on their promise. On my first viewing, I was extremely annoyed at this apparent sense of entitlement, but on the second it lessened considerably. Greenberg isn't has entitled as I initially thought he was, his attitude comes from a genuine inability to relate to other people. I feel really sorry for him, even supporting him, but I still can't shake the feeling that he is ultimately a loser.
But this is a movie chiefly about Greenberg and Florence, and that's where the movie really seems to rear its awkward head. Neither of the characters can seem to "work" with the other. Greenberg is far too active in his uncertainty and criticism and Florence is far too passive in her "just go with it" mentality. The relationship is *very* unhealthy, yet you still want it to work and for some reason, it kind of does. Both Florence and Greenberg seem to see in each other what they struggle with themselves. They're not "perfect" for each other by any means, at least yet...
Review
Cinematography (Music included): 4/5
There's nothing that stands out about the movie's cinematography although there's certainly nothing bringing it down either. The focus isn't on scenes or visuals, it's on the characters, and the way they're shot was done well.
Characters: 3/5
This category gets slightly lower marks because of Florence. I don't dislike her, yet I feel that she didn't get a fair enough shake in the dialogue department of the script. Some of her lines sound a little too teenage angsty or maybe cliched. Where Gerwig pulls of the character rather flawlessly is the nonverbal portion; you can actually feel what Florence is feeling through her looks and the way she caries herself on screen. Also, I felt like some of the other side characters like Beth needed to be fleshed-out moreso. Most of the supporting cast, with the exception of Ivan, felt like they were only being used to point out the awkwardness of the film...which might have been the whole point.
Story: 4/5
I've never really seen awkwardness personified. The story, despite being slow-moving in parts, is great. I'm not particularly satisfied with the party scene...but I can understand the director's choice in including it.
Pass/Fail?: Pass, with reservations.
Would I recommend Greenberg to people? Yes, but it's clearly not for everyone. This was the first movie directed by Noah Baumbach that I have seen and I can easily imagine that many people wouldn't like his style. It's a movie about relationships with other people, and about how some people can't make them.
Until next time,
T
