The Squid and the Whale

The Squid and the Whale is a coming of age story about the Berkman’s and their divorce. Both Hollywood and Independent films have delt with this story line in the past, however, this family dynamic and the characters’ way of dealing with the divorce is very unique. First of all, I highly recommend this film, because it’s quirky hilarious, and touching. This film was written and directed by Noah Baumbach. Supposedly this film was based on childhood experiences of Noah Baumbach. The film takes place in Brooklyn, NY in 1986. The father Bernard Berkman, played by Jeff Daniels (Dumb and Dumber), is a snobbish literately professor who once was a successful writer. The mother, Joan Berkman, played by Laura Linney (You can Count on Me, Kinsey), has many affairs and in the course of the film becomes a successful published author. The eldest son, Walt Berkman, played by Jesse Eisenberg, takes the side of his father during the divorce. The youngest son, Frank Berkman, played by Owen Kline (Kevin Kline’s son), takes the side of his mother during the divorce. After the parents announce to their sons of the divorce, everyone begins to gradually exhibit bizarre behavior, especially the children. Frank Berkman, my favorite character, begins to drink alcohol and most disturbingly masturbates and spreads his semen throughout the school. Frank also develops a very crude vocabulary. Walt Berkman decides to play the song Hey You, by Pink Floyd, for a talent competition and takes credit for writing it himself. He also decides to break up with his girlfriend; for fear that he could do better. He also becomes very much like his father throughout the film, until the very end. He basically disowned his mother, until the end when he realizes her importance to him when he was younger. This film, even though it has a famous cast, is still very independent. Not just because of the characters that appear in the film, or how open the parents are with their children when dealing with sex, and other issues, but also to what is chosen to be filmed. Things like Laura Linney picking skin of her lip are normally filmed in major Hollywood movies, because it really has nothing to do with the story as a whole. Also, the film doesn’t end with a big conclusion like a Hollywood film does. Some issues are resolved in the film, but it’s done in a more symbolic way, rather than it being spelled out for you, like it would be in a Hollywood film. The film ends with Walt going to see an exhibit in a museum that he could never see as a child (the Squid and the Whale), because he was too scared. All in all this movie is worth seeing.