Hey You

The Squid and the Whale is a brief snapshot of a family in turmoil. Noah Baumbach wrote and directed the semi-autobiographical movie based on his own parents’ divorce. The subject may not be fun, but there’s plenty of room for awkward humor. The Squid and the Whale is the only film produced by Wes Anderson since he previously collaborated with Baumbach on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Despite the incredibly short 1 hour & 20 minute runtime, Baumbach was nominated for Best Original Screenplay. The story is very matter of fact and I kind of like that nothing ever lingers. The Squid and the Whale is super independent and shot with a handheld Super 16 mm camera. It takes place in 1986 New York where we follow the Berkman family as they go through a sudden separation.

Jeff Daniels is a writer and teacher with a strong interest in books and artistic films. Although he cares for his family, it’s hard to deny how arrogant he can be. Laura Linney is up-and-coming writer Joan who had multiple affairs. Despite having cause for the divorce, she tries her best to make amends. Both actors deserved their individual Golden Globe nomination. A young Jesse Eisenberg makes an impression as their teenage son Walt who plays guitar. Walt deals with the divorce by resenting his mom, siding with his dad, and exhibiting some of his worst traits. In his final acting role as a preteen, Owen Kline played the younger son Frank who plays tennis. Siding with his mom isn’t surprising, but his issues include drinking alcohol and doing something particularly nasty at school. Their cat also plays a crucial role in their joint custody.

Fights grow progressively more profane and start to affect others around them. Joan starts dating William Baldwin as Frank’s tennis instructor who constantly calls him “brother.” Halley Feiffer plays the average Sophie that Walt starts dating. Though he ruins it when he looks at other girls (including Alexandra Daddario in her first role). The strangest relationship is the one between Bernard and his hip 20 year old student Lili who stays at his new house. Only 9 years after playing father and daughter in Fly Away Home, Anna Paquin played Daniels’ lover. It’s uncomfortable, but that’s the idea. Walt sees a therapist played by Ken Leung after singing the Pink Floyd song “Hey You.” The title may sound like a seafaring adventure, but it actually refers to the American Museum of Natural History and holds emotional significance. The Squid and the Whale is refreshingly honest.

Bernard, Joan, and Frank go to see Ivan