Greenberg

*** Stars

Greenberg is all character study and little story. It's a rather shallow film at times, but surprisingly, I never once found myself bored. As a writer and director, Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) makes some very brave choices in this film. Ben Stiller delivers a strong performance as Roger Greenberg, a failed New York musician who housesits his brothers home while he is away in Vietnam after coming out of a mental institution. He strikes up a friendly relationship with his brother's assistant Florence (Greta Gerwig) and spends six weeks doing nothing. Literally, nothing. Nothing except writing complaint letters to companies and drinking the days away. Florence and him grow rather close, in ways you wouldn't expect. They don't have anything in common, but they spend a lot of time together doing the small stuff. Roger is not the nicest person, and at times is rather unlikeable, however he is very much an interesting character with an original voice. Greenberg doesn't have an introduction or an ending, but rather a simple glimpse in the life of a group of people who did not expect the life they have been given. While this is a film that's easier to admire than to love, it's the bravery in Baumbach's talent that allows this to be a much better film than what it could have been.