Greenberg
Review
by Anthony Morris
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Greenberg
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Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is not a happy man. Problem is, he doesn’t really have a lot to be unhappy about either.
Greenberg
is a New Yorker who is in L.A. to housesit for his well-off brother,
despite his blunt nature it doesn't take him long to start up (and then
ruin) a relationship with his brother’s personal assistant Florence
(Greta Gerwig). The more time we spend with Greenberg, the
more it seems like he is driven to ruin whatever good things come his
way. He was in a band that almost hit the big time before he knocked
back a big record deal, and his friendship with his former bandmate
(Rhys Ifans) is uneven at best. Greenberg holds the world
to standards that seem fair enough as a teenager but are just annoying
as a 40 year old, and his refusal to make a life for himself – rather
than the nervous breakdown he seems to have had in New York – seems to
be why he's stuck in the dissatisfying limbo this film displays. Director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale)
is walking a fine line here, but while Greenberg is largely frustrating
as a character the film (based on a script by Baumbach, Jennifer Jason
Leigh and Stiller) gives us just enough space to avoid feeling trapped
with this strident sourpuss. Stiller is good, but not great
here – it's easy to imagine the role being played just as well by a
number of actors – but his comedic charm goes a long way towards taking
off the edges from a fairly unlikeable character: a better actor would
have made this a worse film. The supporting cast are all
excellent, with Gerwig's finely balanced mix of assertiveness and
confusion coming as something of a revelation here as she balances out
Greenberg's studied rejection of pretty much everything with her
awkward yet heartfelt refusal to shut herself off. Greenberg
might not be that likable, but this often insightful film turns out to
have more warmth and humanity than most upbeat "feel-good" comedies can
muster. 4 out
of 5
Greenberg
Australian release: 22nd July,
2010
Official
Site: Greenberg
Cast: Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans
Director: Noah Baumbach
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