The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Based on the true childhood experiences of Noah Baumbach and his brother, The Squid and the Whale tells the touching story of two young boys dealing with their parents' divorce in Brooklyn in the 1980s.

Director:

Noah Baumbach

Writer:

Noah Baumbach

Stars:

Owen Kline, Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 19 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Owen Kline	...	Frank Berkman
Jeff Daniels	...	Bernard Berkman
Laura Linney	...	Joan Berkman
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Walt Berkman
William Baldwin	...	Ivan
David Benger	...	Carl
Anna Paquin	...	Lili
Molly Barton	...	Graduate Student
Bo Berkman	...	Graduate Student
Matthew Kaplan	...	Graduate Student
Simon Kaplan	...	Graduate Student
Matthew Kirsch	...	Graduate Student
Daniella Markowicz	...	Graduate Student
Elizabeth Meriwether	...	Graduate Student
Ben Schrank	...	Graduate Student

Storyline

In 1986, In Brooklyn, New York, the dysfunctional family of pseudo intellectuals composed by the university professor Bernard and the prominent writer Joan split. Bernard is a selfish, cheap and jealous decadent writer that rationalizes every attitude in his family and life and does not accept "philistines" - people that do not read books or watch movies, while the unfaithful Joan is growing as a writer and has no problems with "philistines". Their sons, the teenager Walt and the boy Frank, feel the separation and take side: Walt stays with Bernard, and Frank with Joan, and both are affected with abnormal behaviors. Frank drinks booze and smears with sperm the books in the library and a locker in the dress room of his school. The messed-up and insecure Walt uses Roger Water's song "Hey You" in a festival as if it was of his own, and breaks with his girlfriend Sophie. Meanwhile Joan has an affair with Frank's tennis teacher Ivan and Bernard with his student Lili.

---

Plot Keywords:

boy | writer | tennis | marriage | book | 

---

Taglines:

Joint Custody Blows.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic dialogue and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 2006 (Turkey)

Also Known As:

A Lula e a Baleia

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$43,776 (Brazil) (14 April 2006)

Gross:

£506,477 (UK) (5 May 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Films, Sony Pictures International, Destination Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min 88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Jeff Daniels (I')' character says that he is going to SUNY Binghamton to do a reading towards the end of the movie. While the film is not actually shot on the campus of BU, the actor who plays Ivan, William Baldwin, is an actual alum of Binghamton University.

---

Goofs

When Walt is learning 'Hey You' from the record and from the book, the book has the song in standard music notation and in tablature, but tablature was just starting in the guitar magazines of the mid-1980s and the style of the book is also from a much later date.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Frank Berkman: Mom and me versus you and Dad.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.66 (2011)
Jay mentions that he first saw Jesse Eisenberg in the film

---

Soundtracks

"The Swimming Song"
Written and Performed by Loudon Wainwright III
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with SONY BMG Music Licensing

User Reviews

depressingly refreshing

More acutely than I've experienced in a long time, this film captures the process of personality inheritance within families. The interaction/influence between Bernard and Walt is almost painful to watch at times, but it's completely rich. Beyond just that father/son dynamic, the story is so poignant without ever getting sappy - a true accomplishment for a family drama involving divorce. Nothing hits you over the head. Nothing seems too forced. While there's plenty of confusion, discomfort, and alienation, a sense of love shines through, and I couldn't help but get attached to all of the characters. I recommend this film unconditionally.