Movie Review: While We're Young Is Like Holding A Mirror To My Face

When I saw writer-director Noah Baumbach's name on this big cardboard advertisement of his new movie, While We're Young, two weeks ago in Trinoma's cinemas, I was pleasantly surprised and happy as well, that finally, one of his movies will be screened commercially here in Manila!  

I've been a fan of his work and two of my favorite movies of his - The Squid and the Whale and Margot at the Wedding - are not really your normal Hollywood studio movies since even though they're comedy-dramas - they talk about real life.

Noah is about my age so when I watched this movie, it was like he was holding a mirror to all the fortysomethings in the audience - the demographic he is writing this movie for.  I have my opinions about how it is to live in one's 40s and I really felt for this childless couple - played by Ben Stiller and the radiant Naomi Watts have to navigate all the "Why don't you have a kid yet" question and "We don't go anywhere anymore" comments which people my age grapple with.

I really enjoyed the first two -thirds of the movie as Stiller and Watts' characters meet and get to know this pair of twentysomethings played by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried.  This is where all the fun and the cute observations about generational differences occur.  There is a bit of conflict in the movie but I feel it was handled awkwardly and unsatisfyingly towards the end.  

Interestingly though, Baumbach's observations and comments on today's generation may put today's twentysomethings on the defensive.

The Movie Birdman Asks: Does Hollywood Really Make Art?

It's kinda unbelievable that someone who directed Amores Perros, Babel, Biutiful, and 21 Grams - all bleak, depressing, philosophical, graphically violent, introspective films about real people - can come out with a funny, over-the-top, sarcastic take on Hollywood celebrity, artistic pretentiousness and human salvation - all in the crazy world of Broadway theater.

For this alone, Alejandro González Iñárritu, should win the Oscar Best Director award, even the DGA. It just shows what range of films he can do if given the right material.

When I watched this movie, I was sure the audience behind me were people who watch theater or are working in theater. The jokes come in very quick and fast and it would take someone familiar with the stage to understand why the writers have poked fun at the big egos and crazy requests of so-called artists - and to laugh at just the right moments.

My favorite line in the movie was said by one of my favorite actresses, Naomi Watts, when the character of Zach Galifianakis asked her, "Why do you know Mike Sniper?"

"We share the same vagina."

There's actually more funny lines, they just come in very fast that you'd have to listen and watch the scene quickly to understand the joke.

Also, if you're an Edward Norton fan, you have to watch this movie! It's not hard not to get turned on by him, like literally! I think this is his best work in a long time - and that he can do a dark comedy - is no surprise.

This is a movie that a lot in Hollywood would understand as the script just name names as it is - George Clooney (his part on the script is funny but sad), Farrah Fawcett and Robert Downey Jr. It's also the best script yet from any movie I saw last year. The Grand Budapest Hotel would be a close second.

It is also fitting that Michael Keaton plays this role because in the real world, he has played a superhero! Good luck to his Oscar chances as the acting academy has voted for Eddie Redmayne instead.

I've always loved Emma Stone and she does a great supporting job here. Her Truth or Dare scene here is both flirtatious and sad.

This is one of those movies that leave the audiences to decide on the ending. Well, there is an ending as you will see in Emma Stone's face - the director will just leave it to your imagination to think what it is.