trudyjessup

By far and away this is the best Wes Anderson movie, and probably the best performance of Gene Hackman's career. The subtle dramatic relationships behind the typical quirky Anderson fare separate this one from his other films. It is quirky but grounded and the relationships feel real even if the characters are heightened to unrealistic levels.

Stiller and Driver carry this one from the start. The script isn't quite up to Baumbach's typical level, but it's strong enough and with the charisma of Stiller and Driver behind it, it works. Watts is stellar, although again not at her Huckabee's days level, but still very good. Overall this is a funny comedy that actually taps into some deep relationship and growing older issues.

Not sure this one is gonna win an Oscar, but it's impressive work for such a low budget. They seemed to bite off a lot and although there were a few misses, overall it connects. It's definitely a fun ride and hits with some good tension and scares. Performances hold up under difficult circumstances. Overall it's very enjoyable and would recommend to others.