The Squid and The Whale

Movie review: The Squid and The Whale (2005)
The Squid and The Whale (2005)
Premiered at the Sundance film festival in 2005, and is now available for rental. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach

Bernard Berkman, the father, is played by Jeff Daniels. The mother, Joan Berkman, is played by Laura Linney. The youngest son, Frank, is played by Owen Kline, Kevin Kline’s son and the oldest son, Walt, played by Jesse Eisenberg. The movie also stars Anna Paquin and William Baldwin.

The movie takes place in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1980’s and is based on the true story about Noah Baumbach’s experiences during his parents divorce. The parent’s marriage was already on thin ice. However, the distance grows when Bernard Berkman, a once successful writer turned teacher becomes jealous when his wife, Joan starts to taste success on her own also as a writer. As the family dissolves the children begin to take sides and act out. Walt becomes influenced by his father and blames the mother for the divorce, while Frank clings to the mother and begins to show signs of hating himself because he is his father’s son. The situation becomes more complicated when alcohol and behavioral problems start to plague both sons.

The movie does not have a happy ending and does not give any resolution to the problems. It’s meant to give a glimpse into what happened to one family when divorce splits the parents and the children are left to grow up on a custody schedule, or become the go between for communication between the parents.

The storyline is well paced and is a good pick if you want to watch a drama that doesn't go over the edge with the tear jerker moments.