Before Noah Baumbach’s latest feature hits screens, Movies.ie recommends the following pictures to spark your interest.
Ben Stiller returns to the big screen this weekend in Noah Baumbach’s latest feature Greenberg. Stiller plays Roger Greenberg – a single man in his fortys facing a crossroads in his life; he finds himself in Los Angeles, house-sitting for six weeks for his more successful/married-with-children brother. In search of a place to restart his life, Greenberg tries to reconnect with old friends including his former bandmate Ivan (Rhys Ifans). But old friends aren’t necessarily still best friends, and Greenberg soon finds himself spending more and more time with his brother’s personal assistant Florence (Greta Gerwig), an aspiring singer and also something of a lost soul. Despite his best attempts not to be drawn in, Greenberg and Florence manage to forge a connection, and Greenberg realises he may at last have found a reason to be happy. To celebrate the release of Noah Baumbach’s latest effort, we look at what other films to see before checking out Greenberg.
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE
Set in Brooklyn in 1986, Jeff Daniels stars Bernard, a once critically lauded author, reduced to teaching literature classes. His wife Joan (played by Laura Linney) has just started her own career as a writer and when they begin divorce proceedings, their two sons -teenage Walt (Jesse Eisenberg, from Roger Dodger) and 12 year old Frank (Owen Kline, son of Kevin) – are quick to take sides. Beautifully written and directed by Noah Baumbach, the story is actually based on Baumbach’s own parents, novelist Jonathan Baumbach and critic Georgia Brown.
MARGO AT THE WEDDING
A darkly funny tale from the brainchild of Noah Baumbach, Nicole Kidman starred as Margot, a Manhattanite who brings her young teenage son Claude (Zane Pais) to their family home in the country, in order to attend the wedding of her sister Pauline (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Another enjoyably family drama with a sharply written script and strong performances from its two leads.
THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS
The Tenenbaums, a severely dysfunctional family of failed child prodigies, are reunited when their estranged father (Gene Hackman) pretends he is dying in order to move back in with them. Quirky and offbeat, the film could only be Wes Andersons. Aside from the terrific story and equally amazing soundtrack, the film also sees Ben Stiller deliver one of his strongest performances.