From IMDb: “Noah Baumbach’s incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together.”
What I liked:
- Fantastic acting from leads Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, making us sympathetic to both.
- Intelligent script allows us to hear real dialog that never gets lazy or cliched.
- Allows the viewer to ask questions about love and relationships, but it doesn’t give us the answer. We get a somewhat ambiguous ending, which I am a fan of.
- Musically, we’re treated to a cute score, which reminded me of the original Parent Trap. That film and other older relationship-based movies had scores that weren’t necessarily cheery, but provided a contrast to the overall sad themes working within the movie. Almost like a “no matter what happens, things will be ok” vibe.
What I didn’t like:
- A two and a half hour family drama. Ugh. At least it moved quickly.
Overall: Wonderfully complex, heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Stream it on Netflix.
Jose Zuazua is editor-in-chief of Quick Lunch Break Reviews. He has an associates degree in film production and has been published both online and in print for Los Angeles City College’s award-winning Collegian newspaper. He’s on Twitter and Instagram, and is also currently writing his first short novel.
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