Bernard is a novelist whose career has gone into a slow decline as he spends more time teaching and less time writing. His wife, Joan, meanwhile, has recently begun publishing her own work to widespread acclaim, which only increases the growing tension between them. One day, Bernard and Joan's two sons - 16-year-old Walt and 12-year-old Frank - are told that their parents are separating, with Bernard renting a house on the other side of their Park Slope, Brooklyn, neighborhood. As the parents set up a schedule for spending time with their children, Walt and Jesse can hardly imagine that things could get more combative between their folks, but they do, as Joan begins dating Ivan, Frank's tennis instructor, and Bernard starts sharing the house with Lili, one of his students. Meanwhile, the two boys begin taking sides in the battle between their parents, with Walt taking after his father and Frank siding with his mom.
This was a pretty dark comedy that had some very off the wall humor. I don't think any of the characters smiled the entire time, so most of the levity came from the awkward situations and inappropriate comments that came at a rapid clip. As bizarre as it was, I could actually relate to some of the events and characters in the movie - the divorced parents and relationship the 2 boys had with their dad really felt familiar. The whole film had a "low budget" feel and was artsy like an independent movie. The plot and dialog weren't polished and you have to read between the lines a lot to capture the essence of the film. It certainly isn't for everyone, but if you're looking for a film that's a bit unconventional and obscurely funny, give it a look.
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Billy Baldwin
I typically watch movies on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while riding the ACE Train from Tracy to Santa Clara. The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.
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