Films/DVD Asylum

The Squid and the Whale.

4.235.204.224

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Thread: Display Email Next ] [ Films/DVD Asylum ]

(A)

Belongs on tv. Ordinary People appears a maserpiece alongside this tv-like melodrama of divorce in which nothing happens. Poor little middle-class boys... aw. Mommy doesn't love Daddy anymore. Sniffle. Jeff Daniels looks way too buff to be a famous author for that time and Laura Linney emotes... like a squid.
Of course, like all mediocre films, this one has at least one extremely wrong note: SPOILER COMING:
After Linney laughs in the husband's face for suggesting they try getting back together the older son gets mad at the father. Not very logical.
Two extremely good reasons to see the film, however: the breasts of the older son's girlfriend. Wow.
Anna Paquin shows she justifiably has been absented from films since a few successes in her younger years.
For the Linney fans: see Diane Keaton, Jill Clayburgh, Meryl Streep in their "bitch" roles and compare. It's not a favorable exercise to Ms. Linney. She's a B actress, no more.

Follow Ups:

Re: The Squid and the Whale...Get Divorced and You'll Change Your Opinion - ToshiroofKreplachastan 05:58:24 03/25/06 (8)
Tin,
I could not disagree with your opinion more.
Lou and I sat through it and laughed/cringed having both gone through that.
More true to life that you ever want to know.
Tosh
"I think this place is restricted Wang, so don't tell em you're Jewish"
- Divorced? Been there, done that. So what? - tinear 13:35:13 03/27/06 (1)
  Do I have to go to war to appreciate a good war movie?
  This movie doesn't belong in the same category as Kramer vs. Kramer or that Jill Clayburgh film of the seventies which title eludes me.
  War of the Roses, or whatever that divorce flick (wasn't it the Coens?) a few years ago also was far superior.
  This movie was bland, bland, bland.
  I guess some guys like it because Linney is such a bitch and he's rather a clueless academic. Pretty boring film, all around, with nary a standout scene or performance.
  - "War of the Roses" - rico 08:09:46 04/01/06 (0)
    Was directed by Danny DeVito, not the Coen brothers.
- And it was a fine satire of liberal academic types -- must've had them cringing. nt - clarkjohnsen 09:54:04 03/25/06 (5)
  z
  - Ridiculous. In what way "liberal?" If they had been so, the - tinear 13:37:40 03/27/06 (0)
    marriage happily would have carried on.
    Are all intelligent creative people, by definition (in your world), "liberal?"
    If so, don't you feel a bit neurotic?
  - Re: And it was a fine satire of liberal academic types -- must've had them cringing. nt - RMcCoy 07:34:47 03/26/06 (3)
    Yes. That was the whole point of the movie IMO but some wouldn't get it. There was no sympathy, love, fogiveness or understanding sought or given by either parent. They were souless body's trying to make it though a world of relationships that require so much more than intellect to suceed. It was a prime example of why we fail when we think our minds have all the answers we could ever need.
    - That's a beautiful addendum and a perfect explanation of why those who don't like the movie... - clarkjohnsen 10:31:35 03/26/06 (2)
      ...simply don't get it and are themselves probably just as you described.
      clark
      - I think you're both reaching just a bit. - sjb 14:07:55 03/26/06 (1)
        
        In Reply to: That's a beautiful addendum and a perfect explanation of why those who don't like the movie... posted by clarkjohnsen on March 26, 2006 at 10:31:35:
        
        I think it was an excellent film and didn't just portray divorce well but portrayed being a slightly off middle class (or slightly lower) young teenager in NYC in the early 80's well.
        But it's not that the parents were simply soulless or that the appearance of such was simply because they were liberal academics. They were damaged people who both showed and saw glimpses of soul and heart and struggled against their own damaged-ness but couldn't quite reach their better natures despite said glimpses (how frustrating would that be?) There are people like that in all walks of life, not just liberal academia.
        Also, don't forget this was written through the eyes of their teenaged son. Even though he wrote it as an adult his experience of them and his memory of it was as a teenager.
        
        "Where are we going? And what am I doing in this hand basket?"
        
        Re: I think you're both reaching just a bit. - RMcCoy 10:10:15 03/27/06 (0)
        
        In Reply to: I think you're both reaching just a bit. posted by sjb on March 26, 2006 at 14:07:55:
        
        I'm not sure I understand where there was any such reaching in the observations shared. The story was as told as it was, the people were as described, type and all. The reactions and choices by the parents held no hope regardless of their type because they neither held nor taught any foundational principles. They didn't know how to be any other way nor were they seeking any other answers outside of their own selfish desires and intellect. They were clearly depicted as souless by the story teller. Their choices were the cause of the ending results.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Schiit Audio

You can not post to an archived thread.