The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
A funny little Noah Baumbach movie about three adult siblings and their infuriating artist father who's starting to lose it.
The cast is both talented and eclectic, with Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Elizabeth Marvel, Emma Thompson, and alleged creep Dustin Hoffman. The characters they play are distinct and clear but also very grounded in reality, a staple of Baumbach's, and this makes the actors' performances all the more interesting to watch. Sandler and Marvel are stand-outs in both the quality of their performances and getting to see them go against type and showcase their true range.
The movie touches on several different themes, including family, age, health, art, and career choices. It sometimes deals with these themes via plot, such as what Hoffman deals with in the second half of the film, or seeing Stiller balance his career and family life, but it mainly addresses its themes via dialogue. Important details are revealed about all of the characters through natural, flowing conversation, complete with interruptions and distractions. This seems to be the main element people notice about the film, and that makes sense as it's certainly what it does best. It makes me curious as to how much of it was improvised and/or rehearsed as opposed to what Baumbach originally wrote. Considering Baumbach's style, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone was really sticking to the script, but its so convincingly real that a part of me isn't quite ready to believe that.
I really don't have much more to say on this one without getting into spoilers.
It's a charming, funny movie that's formatted in an interesting way and has very good performances from an impressive cast. That's about it.
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