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The Squid and the Whale
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The Squid and the Whale (2005) More at IMDbPro »

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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 1980's.
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 1980's.
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 1980's.

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   19,625 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Noah Baumbach
Writer (WGA):
Noah Baumbach (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Squid and the Whale on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 March 2006 (Turkey) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama more
Tagline:
Joint Custody Blows.
Plot:
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 1980's. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 wins & 25 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(18 articles)
Int: Kristen & Jesse
 (From JoBlo. 3 April 2009, 12:24 AM, PDT)

Film: Review: Adventureland
 (From The AV Club. 2 April 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
One Turtle would have made it Better more

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
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic dialogue and language.
Runtime:
81 min | Canada:88 min (Toronto International Film Festival)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Noah Baumbach originally wanted Wes Anderson to direct but Anderson convinced Baumbach to direct it himself, due to the film being very personal to Baumbach. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The ambulance that takes the father to the hospital after he has his heart attack has the logo of the twin towers on the back that were not used until after 11 September 2001 more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Frank Berkman: Mom and me versus you and Dad.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Indie Sex: Teens (2007) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Run to You more

FAQ

What is it that Frank coughs up after getting drunk?
What is the picture that Frank masturbates to?
more
102 out of 129 people found the following comment useful:-
One Turtle would have made it Better, 30 October 2005
9/10
Author: David Ferguson (fergusontx@gmail.com) from Dallas, Texas

Greetings again from the darkness. Writer/Director (and Wes Anderson collaborator) Noah Baumbach presents a semi-autobiographical therapy session where he unleashes the anguish and turmoil that has carried over from his childhood. The result is an amazing insight into what many people go through in a desperate attempt to try and make their family work.

The casting of Jeff Daniels forces us to view him as the grown up Flap from "Terms of Endearment". He has become a bitter, unfocused, pompous ass of a person, father, husband and professor. The inability to recapture the magic of his early writing success has caused him to look down on all other writers ... whether they be Fitzgerald or his own wife. This is Daniels' best work ever on screen and is at once, painful and a joy to behold.

Laura Linney plays his wife as a woman who loves her kids unequivocally and has a zest for life that her downbeat husband no longer shares. Her new found success as a writer sets her off on a trail of confidence and joy, all the while understanding that her family still needs her very much.

The kids really take the film to the next level. Jessie Eisenberg (brilliant in "Roger Dodger") and Owen Kline (son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates) are both scene stealers as they struggle in their own distinct ways with their separated parents and their continuance through adolescence. Watching Eisenberg's worship his dad and subsequently realize the truth is just amazing stuff. Kline's outbursts on the tennis court and at the ping pong table are nothing compared to his discovery of alcohol and self-pleasure. The angst and pain these two experience is felt by millions of kids in divorce situations.

Other outstanding performances include William Baldwin (the one from "Backdraft"), Holly Feifer (as Eisenberg's first girlfriend) and Anna Paquin (underused, but still very effective). Baldwin provides some comic relief with his incessant "my brother" narrative and Feifer is extraordinary in capturing teen adoration as she lusts after Eisenberg. Thanks to her distinct similarity in looks to Linney, I laughed outloud when Daniels tells Eisenberg "she's not my type".

Listening to Daniels try to manipulate everyone he communicates with causes immense dislike among viewers, but we can't help but feel some empathy for him as he seems to believe he is doing all he can do put his family back together. His fatherly advice is not to be missed (or followed!). Watching him look for the perfect parking place is really his search for his place in a world that has deserted him.

Baumbach has created a terrific film and probably exorcised some personal demons along the way. Definitely not a film for the whole family, but it offers much insight and many messages. Also the use of the soundtrack is downright brilliant including key music from Pink Floyd and Loudon Wainright.

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Whats with this new wave of lifeless dramas ChrisSucks
wierdest film ever! Prayerposition
These characters make me want to vomit. ala1238
AMAZING SOUNDTRACK. crosseyed_cookie
It affected me, but... ligeia18
Amazing Movie! contact-1758
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