Greenberg (2010)

Directed by Noah Baumbach, who also created The Squid and the Whale (2005). He wrote the story along with Jennifer Jason Leigh. She is one of my favorites. This film had some quality that reminded me of an earlier JJL film, The Anniversary Party (2001). This story features Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) as he visits L.A. to housesit his brother's home while he and his family are out of the country. Roger is recovering after a nervous breakdown that landed him in a psychiatric hospital. Returning to L.A. is also a return to see old bandmates after many years away. They have each arrived at forty already. Roger remains single and works as a carpenter, while the others have found work and family.

The film refers back to a moment when their rock band was offered a record deal, an event that could have changed the course of their lives. Roger walked away from the deal, leaving the others to make sense of the lost opportunity. He has remained somewhat stuck in the self-identity of that former version of himself and tells people he encounters in L.A. that he is presently focused on doing nothing.

The film seems to ask what is a life without career and family? A bit lost now and coming to terms with the choices he has made, Roger's main housesitting duty is the care of the family dog and a project to build a doghouse, but when the dog become ill, more is required of him and pressures begin to mount. A non-driver in the large spread out city, he relies on the kindness of his brother's assistant, Florence (Greta Gerwig), a young aspiring singer. They seem to like each other, but continually give one another mixed signals. He remains a bit hung up on Beth (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the girlfriend from back in the day. She is married with children and going through a divorce. Roger wonders if he is meant to reconnect with her now. She clearly does not share this fantasy.

He spends a lot of time re-visiting with his old buddy, Ivan, who has a troubled marriage and young son. Ivan works as a computer technician after giving his rock star dreams when Roger turned down the record deal. A web of complex relationships evolve as Roger holds onto the past. "Hurt people hurt people," is a theme that comes up again and again, as Roger acts out his demons. He is forced to explore himself more deeply than ever before as we see him stuggle to embrace the life he never expected. This is a very genuine kind of film. Not a fantasy romance where all the loose ends get tied up. Instead, the difficult moments are laid out for for us to contemplate and personal growth is inevitable.