picture patricidal is to completely miss the point; Baumbach pere is so self centered, he likely sees the film as an homage. Baumbach Sr. is a great writer; he receives good reviews in the literary journals and his books sell in the hundreds. Baumbach Jr., on the other hand, is a great filmmaker, and his movies The Life Aquatic are seen by millions. I'm sure the father is disappointed that the son isn't pursuing tenure at a small Ohio college.I saw this film in a cozy college theater at the Toronto Film Festival. I half expected to run into Jonathan Baumbach, in his leather patched tweed jacket, preening for the audience and eying the coeds.Funny and poignant. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to choke the bastard.

movie.Cheers to Noah Baumbach for putting his life on paper and letting these terrific actors tell the tale.That's it. Thanks for reading.

appears to be normal when we are introduced to the family. These are the kinds of parents that encourage their two children participate in discussions in which books are at the center of the conversation. What's more, Walt, the eldest boy, seems to know a lot about what is discussed. Bernard, the father, is an author that hasn't got a lot of recognition and now teaches college to support the family. Joan, the mother, also a writer, is starting to get her work published. The two sons, Walt and Frank are clever beyond their years.Evidently, not all seems to be happy in the house. First, one notices Bernard making the couch in the morning, in which he has slept in order to "ease his back problems". Joan, is a supporting mother, but somehow, she appears to be distant. Both parents sit with the kids one night to tell them about their impending separation. Of course, this takes Frank, and especially Frank aback by the announcement. The semblance of a tightly knit family begins to unravel in front of the children's eyes.For Walt, the situation is not as crucial as it is for Frank. Being older and being a city kid, Walt has seen this happening among his age group. For Frank, however, his parents break up is the end of the world, as he knew it. Both boys are resilient in accepting the situation. It's clear Bernard and Joan love their sons, but the idea of not having both parents around at the same time is devastating."The Squid and the Whale" is a film that lays bare the emotions the two boys are experiencing. Basically, it's their film as it shows how they have to adjust to the new circumstances. They both adore their parents, but the resentment is clear as they blame Bernard and Joan for daring to fall out of love and in a way, abandon them to a new reality the older Berkmans didn't prepared them for.The quality of the acting Mr. Baumbach gets from this ensemble cast is absolutely amazing. We believe we are, in a way, intruding in this family's problems. We are voyeurs to the tragedy their separation presents for the boys. Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney are perfect as the elder Berkmans. Mr. Daniels, especially, gives an inspired performance for his take of the stingy Bernard. Ms. Linney, one of our best actresses, is marvelous as Joan.What the director has done with the young actors, Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline is something incredible. We can't think of any other director that could have accomplished what Noah Baumbach has in guiding them to make the great contribution both these teen agers gave to the film. Both actors are up to the task and there are never a false move from anyone of them.The supporting cast is interesting. William Baldwin plays the tennis pro Ivan. Anna Paquin is good as Lili, Bernard's student that is wiser than her young years indicate. Halley Feiffer is perfectly sweet as Sophie who likes Walt.The film has been photographed in a faded technique by Robert Yeoman that gives the film a nostalgic look. The musical score is fine, reflecting the era in which the movie takes place.The movie is a triumph for Noah Baumbah who clearly shows he is an unique voice for these times.

all of the characters. I recommend this film unconditionally.

Lynch's "Blue Velvet" instead of the first choice "Short Circuit" or the closing shot of the actual squid fighting a whale at the NYC Musueum of Natural History .Jeff Daniels is slyly funny as the cheapskate, snobbish father who was once the toast of the literary world and is now just getting by on teaching. Laura Linney is again perfection when is she not, really as the mother just starting her own brilliant literary career and who is a bit too open about her sexuality with her children. While the parents bicker over custody even the cat gets to skate between two homes , the older son acts out by plagiarizing Pink Floyd in a talent show and nervous encounters with girls one of whom is his father's live-in student/lover played by the always alluring Anna Paquin , and the younger son a very good Owen Kline-real life son of Kevin Kline and Pheobe Cates turns to drinking alone and public masturbation. It's all as awkward, real, and devastatingly funny as it sounds. A great script and even better acting highlight this tale of a family on the skids. Every member of the family is brilliantly brought to life and even though they are acting in their own flawed, selfish, self-annihilating and myopic ways, they still endear themselves to the audience like they are our own family.Bottom line: Only a Philistine would turn down the chance to enjoy "The Squid and the Whale."

audience understands that there are problems within Bernard and Joan's marriage. Soon after, they decide to separate, but share joint custody of the kids. From here, the story goes into detail as to the effects their split has on the four of them.And while the films comes in at a brisk 81 minutes, not one moment is wasted. Baumbach has created a fabulous ode to his childhood, and puts as much emphasis on the breakup of the family unit as possible. Through the fighting, and the siding of the children, we really get an authentic sense of what it really is like to go through the destruction of the family unit, whether or not the audience has felt the same effects. The writing is bittersweet and smart, and the progression of the story is just phenomenal. It has a few comedic moments, but for the most part, the film is a wonderfully poignant drama. Whether he uses homages to other works, metaphors for other things, or if he just goes right for original elements, Baumbach is right at the top of the game. I have yet to see his other works other than his co-written The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou , but after viewing this, I really have the desire to go and pick them right up.The acting is excellent, and a real testament to the great casting. Daniels is perfect in his role as Bernard, a elicit and sarcastic snob to the very end. His perfection is only complemented by Linney's conflicted Joan. The two adults play off each other perfectly, and are absolutely fabulous in their roles. Unfortunately though, they are shown up totally by Eisenberg and Kline as the children. If the two adults played off each other great, than these two play off each other even better. These two young stars play their roles with just the right bit of naivety, and just the right bit of innocence and corruption, that you really feel heartbroken for what happens to them throughout the film. While sex comes up as a frequent theme, another important theme is that of growing up, and totally understanding the faults of their parents. Both of them mature throughout the entire film, and you can literally see the development of these two wonderful characters as the film unravels. Supporting turns from William Baldwin, Anna Paquin and the definite up-and-comer Halley Feiffer do not go unnoticed, and make the performances of the main cast that much better.If these is anything I can see wrong with the film, it is that it seems a little too Anderson-esquire for it's own good. It has many original feeling moments, and is an absolute must-see film, but it just really feels like the Anderson feel has rubbed off a little too much on Baumbach. Whether this is a bad thing or not, is totally up to the viewer, but it would have been nicer to see the film be able to stand on its own away from Anderson's work. Another unnecessarily bad thing is the unrewarding finale. It fits in, but just does not feel totally right for the film, and takes away slightly from the rest of the work as a whole. The finale does end at just the right moment however, so the film never overstays its welcome, even if it feels so very short.In the end, Baumbach has created a masterpiece with this seminal coming-of-age story. The characters, the story and the acting are all top notch, and only a few minuscule faults prevent it from being even better than it is. A must-see film for everyone.9/10.

funny--look at what divorce does to one family in 1986 New York. Jeff Daniels plays the dad, a pompous, arrogant writer whose feelings of commercial failure he teaches literature at a university cause him to act intellectually superior to everyone he meets. Daniels is almost too good in this role; he reminded me way too much of people I actually know who are like this. He's the kind of guy who would be deadly at a dinner party, because there's no such thing as a casual or flippant remark in this guy's presence. He analyzes everything to death, and isn't content until everyone's opinion matches his own.Laura Linney plays the wayward mom, blamed for the break up of the marriage by the dad because of a string of affairs she carries on. Her guilt keeps her from being able to discipline her sons, especially the oldest, who treats her horribly. Linney's role is smaller but in some ways much more complex than Daniels'. Her character has to take responsibility for her infidelity but still make the audience sympathize with her.Caught in the middle of this mess are their two boys. The oldest quickly allies himself with his dad, and walks around regurgitating his father's opinions on every subject, rarely pausing to form any of his own. The younger son, more sensitive and tired of being intellectually brow beaten by his father and older brother, sticks closer to the mom. No one is totally to blame, yet no one is completely innocent either in this honest and frank film.Noah Baumbach has made no secret of the fact that it is based on his own adolescent life, and it has that confessional feeling that movies in this genre frequently do. There are awkward moments when this doesn't totally work. The ending for one is rather ham-fisted, and a scene between the oldest son and his school therapist seemed awfully pat to me. But the acting and the sharp writing make up for these weaknesses, and the movie manages to be poignant without ever becoming maudlin or overly sentimental.See it for the performances of Linney and especially Daniels, who has been proving his versatility as an actor over the last few years.Grade: A-

early writing success has caused him to look down on all other writers ... whether they be Fitzgerald or his own wife. This is Daniels' best work ever on screen and is at once, painful and a joy to behold.Laura Linney plays his wife as a woman who loves her kids unequivocally and has a zest for life that her downbeat husband no longer shares. Her new found success as a writer sets her off on a trail of confidence and joy, all the while understanding that her family still needs her very much.The kids really take the film to the next level. Jessie Eisenberg brilliant in "Roger Dodger" and Owen Kline son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates are both scene stealers as they struggle in their own distinct ways with their separated parents and their continuance through adolescence. Watching Eisenberg's worship his dad and subsequently realize the truth is just amazing stuff. Kline's outbursts on the tennis court and at the ping pong table are nothing compared to his discovery of alcohol and self-pleasure. The angst and pain these two experience is felt by millions of kids in divorce situations.Other outstanding performances include William Baldwin the one from "Backdraft" , Holly Feifer as Eisenberg's first girlfriend and Anna Paquin underused, but still very effective . Baldwin provides some comic relief with his incessant "my brother" narrative and Feifer is extraordinary in capturing teen adoration as she lusts after Eisenberg. Thanks to her distinct similarity in looks to Linney, I laughed outloud when Daniels tells Eisenberg "she's not my type".Listening to Daniels try to manipulate everyone he communicates with causes immense dislike among viewers, but we can't help but feel some empathy for him as he seems to believe he is doing all he can do put his family back together. His fatherly advice is not to be missed or followed! . Watching him look for the perfect parking place is really his search for his place in a world that has deserted him.Baumbach has created a terrific film and probably exorcised some personal demons along the way. Definitely not a film for the whole family, but it offers much insight and many messages. Also the use of the soundtrack is downright brilliant including key music from Pink Floyd and Loudon Wainright.

would recommend this only for adults or a very mature teenager. The language and situations are tough but as I said, very believable. I identified with much of what the teens in this movie are going through and my sympathies definitely sided with them against their self-involved and self-indulgent parents. This is the best role I've ever seen Jeff Daniels in and having known men in my life like his character I think he was spot-on with his portrayal. There were no weak characterizations with any of the actors, for that matter.