The Squid And The Whale

The Squid and The Whale is a film about a family that fell apart and is trying to find life after divorce. But it's about so much more than that. It's about the son Walt idolizing his father and attempting to model his character after that of his father. Then, Walt finds his father trying to sleep with a 20 year old student; when he is unsuccessful, Bernie feels lonely, rejected, and searches for love where ever he can find it--he tries to "reconcile" his marriage with Joan, hoping that some love would be left for him in her heart. But she declines. Then, Bernie has a heart attack and subsequently tries to manipulate his son to stay with him, but Walt is beginning to see just how elitist, self-absorbed, and pathetic his father is. The film shows the deconstruction of an unworthy idol in the eyes of a maturing teen.

The film shows Walt rejecting his father for whom he loved for quite a while, and then turning back to his mother, the stronghold of his childhood, as he remembers in the late part of the film. His mother was the one who brought him joy when he was young. Walt allowed the sophistication of his father's projection of adulthood to blind him of the happiness he experienced as a child with his mom.

It shows the results of a dysfunctional family in the life of Frank, the youngest son; he drinks beer, masturbates, and curses wantonly. At first, this would seem comical, but then you realize that this boy has no moral structure, no framework for how to grow up. Some would say that this would be the ideal way to mature, to be allowed to try things and decide for yourself what is good. But for Frank, it obviously doesn't end well.

It also shows Joan, the mother, trying to juggle divorce, reemergence into the dating world, recent occupational success, and hatred from her son. Laura Linney plays this character with reserve, and it turns out brilliantly. Emotion pours out of her as she watches her son play the guitar for a talent show, and all she does is smile and lift her hand to her mouth. But with that simple gesture comes a look that showed how much she loves him. And Linney continues to contend for my favorite female actor.

Actually, each leading actor in this film gives an organic, intimate performance. Jeff Daniels' Bernard is intellectual, and knows it, yet he is offended when an acquaintance slanders the New York Knicks, oblivious to his own triviality. It surprised me how quickly I could identify the complexity of the characters and of the story.

What this film did was make me consider how I was raised, and how good I had it. My parents didn't cheat on each other or get divorced. They did their best to keep their fights private, something I desire to have seen, but now (after viewing results of that hypothetical situation thanks to this film) consider the right decision. The film consisted of rich, authentic characters delivering mature, skillful dialogue to create a great film that had me wishing it wouldn't end. Well done Baumbach.