Greenberg: Of Whiskey and Ice Cream Sandwiches [Film Review]

Sitting down for a Noah Baumbach film requires a certain emotional readiness. From Kicking and Screaming, his directorial debut, to The Squid and the Whale, his overall most impressive effort, Baumbach’s films tend to be raw, funny and meticulously devastating.

Greenberg, Baumbach’s latest offering, stars indie regular Greta Gerwig and the unlikely Ben Stiller as two wanderers in search of something they can’t quite articulate. Gerwig’s Florence is a vulnerable and kind-hearted aspiring musician currently working as a personal assistant in Los Angeles to the brother of Roger Greenberg (Stiller), and once their lives intersect, Florence and Roger become involved in a sometimes sweet, mostly dysfunctional relationship fueled by a sense of necessity.

Recovering from a mental breakdown and taking a hiatus from his life in New York City, Roger agrees to house sit for his comfortably bohemian brother for a few weeks. He crosses paths with Florence when she stops by to fulfill a few of her assistant duties, which include feeding the family’s German shepherd, Mahler. Prone to isolation and unable to drive, Roger takes Florence up on an offer to pick him up some groceries (whiskey and ice cream sandwiches are the staples he requests). Though Florence and Roger are intrigued by one another and continue to find excuses to meet, they have trouble establishing a clear connection.

Such is life in the world of Baumbach. Everyone’s a little (or more than a little) misanthropic yet everyone wants to be loved, setting in motion an endless series of slights, misunderstandings and flat out brutalities. Quite simply, his characters are mean to each other - we’ll never forget the Mom-You’re-Ugly scene from The Squid and the Whale, or the unbelievably scathing Margot (played by Nicole Kidman) of Margot at the Wedding.

Roger Greenberg holds his own in this respect; his self-involvement, pessimism and neuroses make him nearly impossible to like, but Florence’s observation that “hurt people hurt people” hints that she’s willing, perhaps unwisely, to cut him some slack. Much of Roger’s discontent is explained by the fact that once upon a time he was in a band that could have had a record deal, but due to his own fears and misgivings, they broke up.

This visit to L.A. is thus a trying and possibly cathartic event for Roger, as he is forced to encounter various reminders from his past. These ghosts include former band mate Ivan, played by the very fine Rhys Ifans and former girlfriend Beth, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Roger clumsily attempts to reach out to them but fails to make much headway, revealing the completeness of his self-absorption and the direness of his situation.

We found ourselves wishing better for the open-hearted (but not exactly naive) Florence, but could almost understand why she doesn't simply walk away from Roger. He may be sour and cranky but he oftentimes speaks the truth, and when it comes down to doing the right thing (taking care of the ailing dog Mahler, for example), he is able to muster some compassion after all.

Stiller's haggard appearance and penetrating gaze contrast sharply with Gerwig's offbeat charm, and their two solid performances make it seem possible that Roger and Florence may find happiness after all. There are no guarantees in Baumbach territory, of course, leaving us to make our own guesses - as cynical as they may be.

Greenberg opens Friday at the Alamo Drafthouse South and Arbor Cinema.

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