Friday, February 7, 2014

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Director: Noah Baumbach
Writer:    Noah Baumbach
Cast:       Owen Kline, Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg

Film is about two young boys dealing with the divorce of their intellectual parents set in the 80s. I wondered why the film was set in 80s and it is so because it is based on director Noah Baumbach's experience in his childhood.

Noah Baumbach is a constant collaborator in Wes Anderson films and you can see the same kind of quirkiness in this film. The adult bits in the seemingly family friendly atmosphere is amped up more than in a Wes Anderson film. Over the course of the film, the parents don't grow with them continuing to behave in a thoughtless manner even as the children mature. The brutally honest matter of fact way in which things are explained to the kids is very funny. 

Unlike 'Frances Ha', some of the references thrown in doesn't come off well, especially the one to Godard's 'A bout de Souffle' at the end. Loved seeing 'Blue Velvet' in there.

Rating: 4/5

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