In 1986, arrogant, twice-divorced aspiring novelist Bernard Berkman lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with his third wife Joan and their two sons, sixteen-year-old Walt and twelve-year-old Frank. Bernard's career is in jeopardy as he struggles to find an agent. Meanwhile, Joan has begun publishing her own work to widespread acclaim, creating tension between them.
One day, Bernard and Joan reveal to Walt and Frank that they are separating and Bernard is moving out. The parents initially agree upon a joint custody arrangement that allows them to evenly spend time with their children, but following the separation, their relationship becomes more combative than before. Joan begins dating Frank's tennis instructor Ivan, while Bernard begins an inappropriate relationship with one of his students, Lili, even going as far as to allow her to move in with him. The conflict between the parents soon leads to the brothers disputing as well; Frank sides with Joan, while Walt, who idolizes Bernard, blames her for the deterioration of their family, especially after she admits to having a series of affairs.
Both boys covertly struggle to cope with the stress of the divorce. Frank begins to compulsively masturbate at school, drink beer, and emulate Ivan's mannerisms. Walt, influenced by his father, admonishes and effectively breaks up with his girlfriend for wanting a committed relationship with him, later developing an attraction to Lili. He performs "Hey You" by Pink Floyd at his school's talent show, claiming it as an original song, and wins first prize; however, upon discovering that he plagiarized the song, school administration arranges a meeting with his parents, where all parties agree that he should begin seeing a therapist.
At Walt's first therapy session, the therapist asks him to share a positive memory. He recalls that when he was a child, his mother would take him to the American Museum of Natural History. The young Walt was scared of the giant squid and sperm whale diorama, and would hide his eyes behind his hands when they passed it. At home, his mother would describe the diorama to him; hearing her speak about it made him feel less afraid. While talking, Walt gradually realizes that his mother has always been present for him, while his father has not.
After a heated argument between Bernard and Joan, Bernard rushes outside in pursuit of the family cat who escaped, then collapses on the street. Paramedics are called, and Walt accompanies him in the ambulance. While at the hospital, Bernard continues to demand the majority of Walt's attention and implores Walt to stay with him for the rest of the day. Walt instead rushes to the museum and finds the squid and whale diorama, now able to look at it.
Noah Baumbach looked to documentaries, French New Wave films, John Cassavetes, and early Martin Scorsese films when envisioning the style of the film.[8] He shot the film in Super 16 rather than digital video "to give the film an authentic 1980’s feel", commenting "Super 16 also feels lived-in, instantly looks like an older film. I wanted to handhold the movie, but steadily, so you detect only a hint of movement. It added to the immediacy of the whole thing."[9]
The screenplay was intentionally pared down. Baumbach explained, "I really wanted this [film] to be an experience that people live through. Which is how people talk about action films. In some ways, maybe the cinematic equivalent of that would be not to give people moments of reflection. So that you’re taken through each scene, and then you’re right into another. A lot of scenes start on the dialogue, and the dialogue prelapses the next scene — So you never have time. There’s no sun rises over Brooklyn shot, no establishing shot."[9] Baumbach has said the film is semi-autobiographical.[9][8]
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 92% approval rating, based on 154 reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "This is a piercingly honest, acidly witty look at divorce and its impact on a family."[10] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[11]
On an episode of Ebert & Roeper, both critics praised the film and gave it a "two thumbs up" rating.[12][13]Premiere critic Glenn Kenny praised the film, writing, "It's a rare film that can be convincingly tender, bitterly funny, and ruthlessly cutting over the course of fewer than 90 minutes. The Squid and the Whale not only manages this, it also contains moments that sock you with all three qualities at the same time."[14]Time critic Richard Corliss wrote, "The Squid and the Whale is domestic tragedy recollected as comedy: a film whose catalog of deceits and embarrassments, and of love pratfalling over itself, makes it as (excruciatingly) painful as it is (exhilaratingly) funny."[15]
The film was released on DVD on March 21, 2006 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The DVD includes a 45-minute commentary with director Noah Baumbach, another 40-minute commentary with Baumbach and Phillip Lopate, cast interviews, and trailers. In 2013 Mill Creek Entertainment released the film for the first time on Blu-ray in a 2 pack set with Running with Scissors. All extras were dropped for the Blu-ray release.[29]
The Criterion Collection re-released the film on DVD and Blu-ray on November 22, 2016 which included new interviews with Baumbach and actors Jeff Daniels, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline and Laura Linney; a new conversation about the score and other music in the film between Baumbach and composers Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips; a 2005 documentary titled Behind The Squid and the Whale; audition footage; and the original trailers.[30]
Music
The soundtrack features two songs by Loudon Wainwright III and one by Kate & Anna McGarrigle. It reuses Tangerine Dream's "Love on a Real Train", from Risky Business, for the scenes of Frank's sexual awakenings. Other contemporary popular music is played in the background of scenes, such as The Cars' "Drive" and Bryan Adams' "Run to You". "Figure Eight", from Schoolhouse Rock, is used as both an instrumental and a vocal. Pink Floyd's "Hey You" is heard several times in the movie, since it plays a role in the plot and is cited by Walt as capturing his emotional state. Both the original version, and diegetic performances by Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline, are used. Baumbach originally wanted to use The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" instead but he could not secure the rights.[31]
Laura Leggett Linney is an American actress. She is the recipient of several awards, including two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards and five Tony Awards.
Noah Baumbach is an American filmmaker. He is known for making light comedies set in New York City and his works are inspired by filmmakers such as Woody Allen and Whit Stillman. His frequent collaborators include Wes Anderson, Adam Driver and his wife, Greta Gerwig.
The 71st New York Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in film for 2005, were announced on 12 December 2005 and presented on 8 January 2006.
The 40th National Society of Film Critics Awards, given on 7 January 2006, honored the best in film for 2005.
The 31st Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, given by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, honored the best in film for 2005.
The 18th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, given by the CFCA on January 9, 2006, honored the best in film for 2005.
The 9th Toronto Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in film for 2005, were given on 21 December 2005.
The 77th National Board of Review Awards, honoring the best in film for 2005, were given on 10 January 2006.
The 9th Online Film Critics Society Awards, honoring the best in film for 2005, were given on 16 January 2006.
The 4th Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in filmmaking in 2005, were given on December 12, 2005.
Dean Wareham is an American musician and actor who co-founded the band Galaxie 500 in 1987. He departed from Galaxie 500 in April 1991 and went on to establish the band Luna. Following Luna's dissolution in 2005, Wareham has collaborated on albums with fellow Luna band member Britta Phillips, forming the duo known as Dean & Britta. They have also ventured into film composition, notably contributing to the soundtracks of Noah Baumbach's films The Squid and the Whale (2005) and Mistress America. In 2014, Wareham released a self-titled album and in 2015, he reformed Luna.
The 1st Austin Film Critics Association Awards honored the best in filmmaking for 2005.
The 2nd St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards, retroactively known as the St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards, were given on January 8, 2006.
The Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance is an annual film award given by the Online Film Critics Society to honor the best breakthrough performance of the year.
Margot at the Wedding is a 2007 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach. It stars Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, John Turturro, and Ciarán Hinds. The film is about the familial storm that arises when Margot, a writer, comes to visit her sister Pauline on the eve of the latter's wedding.
Dean & Britta is an American musical duo consisting of Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, both members of Luna. Wareham had formed Luna in 1991 after leaving his first band, Galaxie 500. Phillips joined Luna in 2000, replacing bassist Justin Harwood.
Greenberg is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Noah Baumbach, who wrote the screenplay and co-wrote the story with his then-wife Jennifer Jason Leigh. The film stars Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, and Leigh, with Mark Duplass, Merritt Wever, Chris Messina, Brie Larson, Juno Temple, Jake Paltrow, and Dave Franco in supporting roles. The film's soundtrack features the first film score by James Murphy.
Owen Joseph Kline is an American filmmaker and actor. He is best known for his directorial debut Funny Pages (2022) and his performance as Frank Berkman in The Squid and the Whale (2005).
Marriage Story is a 2019 American drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach, who also produced the film with David Heyman. It stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a couple going through a bi-coastal divorce complicated by custody issues surrounding their son. Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, and Merritt Wever appear in supporting roles.
↑ "Elizabethtown/Where the Truth Lies/Domino/North Country/Separate Lies/The Squid and the Whale". October 15, 2005. Ebert & Roeper. Season 20. Episode 20. ABC.
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