Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.

I’m such a dummy, missing all the screenings of this. Even if I don’t end up liking it, I’m sure it’ll be worth seeing. Noah Baumbach’s just recently hit his stride as a filmmaker, and with this cast, I’ve been curious since the very first announcement. I’ll definitely be seeing this over the course of the long holiday weekend at some point...

Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

You either dig writer-director Noah Baumbach (THE SQUID AND THE WHALE) or you don't. I guess I was unaware of this dividing line in the critical universe, but I've come to discover recently that it does in fact exist. And it goes beyond liking or disliking the cruel nature of some of his characters. Let's face it, it's tough to believe anyone would “like” the parental figures in Squid no matter how much you admired the brutal honesty of the screenplay. But some people even go so far to attack Baumbach's visual style. I've seen it described as “muddy.” Maybe there was something on the lens at that particular screening. And while I can't recall any camera tricks or spectacular visual flare that Baumbach has enriched his films with, I never really missed those touches since including them would have made no sense in the stories he was trying to tell.

What I do remember about his films is terrific acting, fiery dialog that makes nearly every scene an exercise in tension, frustration, and angst. I remember when I reviewed SQUID, I made it very clear the nature of the story may make watching the film a really uncomfortable experience for some, and I think the same holds true for his latest work, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING. Baumbach again tackles the subject of marriages (both ones about to be sealed and those coming apart at the seams), family, and the nature of being a misunderstood artist. I can hear the collective cries of self-indulgence now, but the fact is, Baumbach learned a thing or two about transitioning from relative obscurity to fame thanks to his last film, and he has a few things to say about that through the character of Margot (Nicole Kidman), a writer who is often accused of being autobiographical (she denies it).

Margot and her son Claude (Zane Pais) are in Long Island (although I'm not sure the location is ever specifically named) to attend the wedding of her sister Pauline (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to the unemployed artist Malcolm (Jack Black in a surprisingly strong dramatic turn, which is not to say the man doesn't make us laugh at times). What's odd is the Margot has left behind her husband and other son back in New York City, which immediately indicates something is amiss. But to Pauline, it also means that once again Margot is going to turn all the attention to herself. Margot is a difficult lady to like, and I think that's alright with Baumbach. Not only is she a spotlight hog, but she actively plants seeds of doubt and descent in the minds of everyone she comes into contact with. She thinks Malcolm isn't good enough to Pauline; she quietly lets slips to Malcolm that Pauline slept with a lot of men when she was younger. Secrets have no meaning in this family. Although the patriarch of the family is dead, there's a third sister and a mother (neither are ever seen) whose names are invoked often to put down people in their honor.

Margot is having an affair and has possibly left her husband for good. When he arrives on the scene (in a nice albeit brief turn from John Turturro), the tension is thick and miserable. All this being said, the film is also very funny at times, and not just because of Jack Black being on the case. Usually the laughs come thanks to Margot's appalling behavior. There's also a great sadness that runs through MARGOT AT THE WEDDING that manifests itself through the children in the film. As in SQUID, the children are treated as pawns, victims, and obstacles. Is there any hope they can come out the other side unscathed? It doesn't seem so. Claude is a sweet kid, and we almost wonder if he'd be better off anywhere but with her. Baumbach isn't really interested in answering these questions, and that is sometimes frustrating. But overall the film maintains as subversive tone that I found unique and fascinating. It's like you're peering into the window of a very fucked up family, and feel a little bit better about your own hardships. It's entirely possible that MARGOT AT THE WEDDING is just going to plain old piss you off, but that may not be the worse thing. Getting a reaction out of an audience may be preferential to Baumbach than getting no reaction at all. Enter at your own risk, but don't be surprised if you enjoy yourself more than you may be willing to admit.

Capone