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I have always loved Ben Stiller and was really looking forward to "Greenberg". It is pretty rare for me to walk out on a movie, but this was truly unbearable. It was only my long-time admiration for Ben that kept me from leaving during the grotesque "love" scenes. Those scenes actually made me sick to my stomach. The actors were required to be so dispassionate that the sex became irrelevant to the movie.
Believe me, it was not the sex scenes that ultimately sent me heading for the door. It was the excruciatingly boring nature of the movie as a whole. The character of "Greenberg" was so poorly defined that I could not muster any interest in what happened to him. I finally was just emotionally worn out by my desire to try to find some reason to enjoy the movie.
Either Ben did horrible job presenting the character or the director and screenwriter just plain designed a completely uninteresting and downright unlikeable persona in the "Greenberg" character. Either way, it was a painful movie going experience. Because of my past admiration for Ben Stiller, I will hope that this was an exception. If it proves to become a trend, his career may really be in trouble.
-- Lass240
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Would you believe that the film cheered me up. During the majority of it I felt immensely low as I related to, despised and empathised with Greenberg. I guess because I understood Greenberg the most (despite being a 21 year old English woman) I found the female character the most interesting and wanted to find out more about her, but I think it was an incredible film, the writing was phenomenal.
Despite the depressing tone and subtext of the film I felt refreshed as the credits rolled. But I guess that is because I realised that after a long patch of social anxiety, bereavement and self exploration... I recognised in myself the less severe symptoms of many of Greenbergs faults, the overly self analytical attitude, fear of being judged, etc. typical symptoms of SAD really, I recognised these things and at first it frightened me. Then I realised that I know myself and I'm aware of myself, my faults and I'm searching for answers. Even if it is an "uphill battle" it is one that has started at 21 rather than 41, and in that moment I knew I couldn't end up as lonely and depressed as the future me I'd been contemplating. I'd already realised all of these things over the past two years, but perhaps there are people who watch this film and it triggers the start of their own journey of self discovery... as cheesy as that sounds, saving people in a way from themselves.
Noah baumbach - God... you champion the damaged and give them hope and get them to take a long painful, but necessary look at themselves. I think I respect you more than most of the prolific writers out there. It doesn't matter if people don't 'get' the film or if they don't care, because to write something with such passion, maturity and rawness... A film that actually paints a vivid picture of who a person is and who they think they are and who they want to be...you really gotta be thinking of those people it will affect and they exist and appreciate it more than you will ever know. This also inspired me to get my arse back in gear and start writing again. Cheers Noah.
-- Lorelei
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