The Squid and the Whale
Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: October 5, 2005
7.4
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 352 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
266
Mixed:
20
Negative:
66
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User scoreBy dateMost helpful
6
peterh32Jun 8, 2012
this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review. this is a review.
0 of 3 users found this helpful03
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6
MarkE.Apr 3, 2006
I felt like I watched the shortened version of a much longer film. This kind of story cannot be told in 88 minutes. It would have been nice to see more serious moments of emotion or tension mixed with the dark humour. Also why did they I felt like I watched the shortened version of a much longer film. This kind of story cannot be told in 88 minutes. It would have been nice to see more serious moments of emotion or tension mixed with the dark humour. Also why did they choose the music from 'Risky Business' for the scenes involving the younger boy? The younger boy's role did not describe a confused child in a believable way and was a distraction from the rest of the film.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
DanBOct 23, 2005
It's like a Wes Anderson movie, but with more "real" and "uncomfortable" and, yes, "honest" moments. Oh, and with less of everything else, including humor, good plotting, etc. I hope Anderson takes no cues from this guy... and that he It's like a Wes Anderson movie, but with more "real" and "uncomfortable" and, yes, "honest" moments. Oh, and with less of everything else, including humor, good plotting, etc. I hope Anderson takes no cues from this guy... and that he doesn't write his next film with him, either.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
PaulF.Jan 13, 2006
This movie could have been so much more. The acting was decent but not out of this world either. The cinematography was fine, ok. But the writing and underling theme was something to be desired. The father was reduced to utter simplicity and This movie could have been so much more. The acting was decent but not out of this world either. The cinematography was fine, ok. But the writing and underling theme was something to be desired. The father was reduced to utter simplicity and the youngest was used mostly for gratuitous shock value. I am not a prude in the least but there was no warrant for his character to do as he did, plus it was utterly ridiculous, he was obviously not old enough to be into puberty. The more I think about this film the lower I want to give the score so I'll give it a generous five and leave it at that.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
AnonymousMCOct 22, 2006
Two-dimmensional characters.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
RhettW.Dec 28, 2005
I "get it", but I didn't enjoy being around these people.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
KaustavApr 7, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had considered watching this a Wes Anderson movie and boy was I wrong of my expectations. Anderson may have contributed to this film but it couldn't possibly be far off from his work.
I felt it was a mediocre which didn't have any closure or catharsis about Jeff Daniel's father figure being an overbearing presence on his older son's (Jesse Eisenberg) life while The mother played by Laura Linney is stranded between love, pain, adoration, failure and compromise. Perhaps it would need a art history class to get the explanation on who was the Squid and the Whale.
Persoanlly, I dislike movies like this one with its inexplicable titles and storyline which are similar to the elitist, pretentious language used by the main male protagonists in the first half of the film. This work by Noah Baumbach is all more disappointing to me because I know he eventually went onto make The Meyerowitz Stories with Netflix, which is perfection of the sort of family drama that perhaps should have been. But it is not my work and every one has their own ideas to present; unfortunately except for a few scenes with the female characters in the movie, there is not much really to miss out on. Stay away from it - or don't. Your ball, your game.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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