I am a late bloomer to Noah Baumbach's work. Though I've read of his brillance with the now Criterion Collection gem Kicking and Screaming and the unstoppable tour de force of The Squid and the Whale, this is my first Baumbach experience and I couldn't have been more pleased.
Baumbach, from my understanding, writes from a privileged perspective. His characters are yuppies with depression issues and phobias birthed by their own insecurities.
Margot, played with stunning ferocity by Nicole Kidman, begins the film by describing her relationship with her younger sister to her son. They're on their way to Pauline's (Jennifer Jason Leigh and Baumbach's real-life wife) for her weekend wedding to regular Joe, Malcolm (Jack Black). Let's just say Margot does not approve.
In fact, Margot with her scrupulous magnifying glass, doesn't approve of a lot when it comes to the people around her and she, like an unhappy, unhealthy person, picks. She picks at others, and in-turn, picks at herself. Kidman couldn't be any better.
Leigh and Black have charm and charisma as the feisty couple that have unresolved issues with each other that are highlighted and heightened when Margot visits.
The film itself is a great study at the motivations behind our words and actions. Its sharp honesty and surprising heart are welcomed in the days of popcorn humor and fraternal libidos. Both heartfelt and heartbreaking, much like the love from the ones who know us best, family. ***A***
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