The Squid and the Whale opens with a tennis match that immediately defines the tensions of the Berkman family. Bernard (Jeff Daniels) is teamed with sixteen-year-old son Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) against Joan (Laura Linney) and their younger son Frank (Owen Kline). The partnering reveals the family divisions-Walt always sides with his father while Frank aligns with his mother. On the court, Bernard is just a bit too competitive for comfort, and when he hits his wife Joan with the ball, it seems like it might not have been entirely accidental. Soon after the game, Bernard holds a family conference and the boys immediately sense what's about to come. The parents announce a separation and divorce. But not to worry, Mom and Dad insist, they will share joint custody and everything will be just fine.
But divorce is rarely clean and easy, especially when kids are involved. Writer-director Noah Baumbach originally conceived of the film as the story of two adult brothers coping retroactively with their parents' divorce. But a chance viewing of Louis Malle's Murmur of the Heart got him thinking about taking a child's perspective on the story. Looking at divorce from a child's point of view also allowed Baumbach to step back from a story that was inspired in part by his own experiences. Changing perspectives also changed the time frame of the story, setting it back in the 1980s rather than in the present.
Baumbach doesn't try to take sides or to pass judgment on his characters but he does try to document the fallout that occurs when parents divorce. Walt idolizes his opinionated, somewhat pompous father, a once promising author who has now become an academic. Walt tries very hard to imitate him, and the teen speaks pretentiously about literature to fellow classmates. He tells one girl that Metamorphosis is very "Kafkaesque," to which she replies that of course it is it's written by Franz Kafka. Frank on the other hand has more of an affinity with his mother, an up and coming writer who speaks openly about her sexual relationships, much to the discomfort of Walt and Bernard.
In striving to impress his father, Walt ends up passing off the lyrics to Pink Floyd's song "Hey You" as his own at a high school talent show. When confronted with his crime by school officials his smug defense-and one his father would likely approve of-is that "I felt I could have written it so the fact that it was already written was kind of a technicality." Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Frank drinks beer at home and masturbates at school. The parents may insist the divorce has nothing to do with the children-it's just about two grown ups who can no longer live together-but the behavior of Walt and Frank prove otherwise.
The strength of the film lies mainly in the script and the intimacy with which it documents the Berkman family. What may be most surprising about the film is the amount of humor that's infused throughout the story. It's observant humor that offers insights into the characters and keeps the story from becoming too bleak. But the humor never comes at the expense of the story's emotional impact. We're not laughing at the characters but rather in recognition of their frailties, failings and vulnerabilities.
Building on the strength of the script are the performances of the actors. Jeff Daniels has gone from a slightly goofy, square-jawed leading man to an actor of surprising skill in films such as Imaginary Heroes and now The Squid and the Whale. He makes Bernard a grating character but also manages to find a way to make him somewhat sympathetic as well. Laura Linney racks up another subtle and nuanced performance as Joan. She is frequently off screen, but through her brief scenes and dialogue she creates a multi-faceted portrait. Although she's easier to sympathize with than Bernard, Linney makes sure that we see Joan's flaws and shortcomings as well. Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline excel as the Berkman children. Eisenberg captures Walt's awkwardness as he tries to define himself, first as a mirror image of his father and then as something less imitative. Kline maintains a surface calm as Frank has an emotional meltdown. It's a mature performance but without ever seeming artificial or actorly. Maybe it helps that his dad is Kevin Kline.
Visually, Baumbach keeps the film simple and a bit raw. He and director of photography Robert Yeoman choose to shoot on super 16, a format that allows for easier hand holding of the camera and that provides a slightly grainier image. This allows for a more intimate, documentary feel. Editor Tim Streeto gives the film a slightly jumpy pace that reflects the instability of the Berkman family. There are occasional jump cuts and we move abruptly from scene to scene, but the style works because it heightens the tensions of the story.
The Squid and the Whale (rated R for language and sexual content) is one of a growing number of independent films that are looking to youthful coming of age stories and delivering beautifully rendered, intimate works. The Squid and the Whale -- as with Thumbsucker and Mysterious Skin - - is a refreshing reminder that sometimes the best material comes from your own backyard, and doesn't require big budgets, effects or explosions. As for the title, I won't reveal its meaning. It's much better to discover its meaning in the film. But rest assured, Baumbach has chosen it with the same care he displays throughout his film.
Companion viewing: Thumbsucker, Imaginary Heroes, Mysterious Skin
