I quite liked this cringe-inducing story of a dysfunctional family, focusing on three adult children and their narcissistic father. Made for Netflix, it's available to stream anytime, and I chose it last weekend because it has a few wins and nominations already.
Adam Sandler (after Men, Women & Children I mentioned his cameo in Top Five) is terrific playing it straight as befuddled Danny, the elder son. In this current climate, it's hard to enjoy the work of accused sexual harasser Dustin Hoffman (last blogged for Chef) but I didn't doubt for one minute his self-absorption and arrogance as father Harold. Always good in a cringey movie, Ben Stiller (most recently in Brad's Status) is reliable as younger son Matthew. And Elizabeth Marvel (played 40 year old Mattie in True Grit, Constance Heck in five episodes of the first season of Fargo, Heather Dunbar in 23 of House of Cards, and Elizabeth Keane in 24 of Homeland) is marvelous as awkward sister Jean. Emma Thompson (last voiced Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast) is delightful as Harold's boozy, hippie third wife Maureen. Support comes from Grace Van Patten (Timothy's daughter) as Eliza Meyerowitz, Danny's daughter; Candice Bergen (most recently in Home Again) as Harold's second wife Julia; and Judd Hirsch (114 episodes of Taxi 1978-83, 114 of Numb3rs, five of Maron, he's on the dumb sitcom Superior Donuts right now, known for movies Teachers (1984), Independence Day (1996), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Oscar-nominated for Ordinary People (1980), and was in Tower Heist) as Harold's artistic competitor L.J.
Director/writer Noah Baumbach's last picture While We're Young featured, among others, Stiller and Adam Driver, who has a cameo in this picture. I haven't seen every one of Baumbach's pictures but I'm a big fan. By the way, the O in Meyerowitz is silent--it's three syllables.
Randy Newman's (won two Oscars for songs, one of which was in Toy Story 3, he's been nominated seven times for score plus scored 17 other features with Toy Story 4 now filming) soundtrack of solo piano can be streamed from this short youtube playlist. Plus, here's a list of songs.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the critics' average of 93% is far from the audiences' of 73, probably because Baumbach's work can be hard to take. If it's your cup of tea (see also The Squid and the Whale (2005), Greenberg, and Frances Ha), fire up the Netflix and watch (they may not inspire "chilling" afterwards).
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