What is it that drives Noah Baumbach to create some of the most unlikable characters in recent cinema? Greenberg is his third film in a row that centers on how an essentially irredeemable misanthrope ruins the lives of those around him. If that doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, you wouldn't be mistaken. While The Squid and the Whale was saved by some truly great performances, Greenberg does not have Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney to depend upon. Instead, it has Ben Stiller and Mumblecore queen Greta Gerwig at its center. They try their best with such difficult material, and they ultimately save it from being as passionless as Margot at the Wedding. Still, not being as bad as Margot is damning with faint praise.Stiller plays the titular Greenberg, a man who had the world in the palm of his hand fifteen years earlier, but let it slip away. Now he is a socially awkward, angry, bitter man with only one tenuous friend and no real prospects. He meets Florence (Gerwig), who is sort of an errand girl for Greenberg's brother. The two don't exactly hit it off, but for some reason Florence is intrigued by Greenberg. The two start an on and off relationship, which often results in some demeaning moments for Florence. Baumbach doesn't really seem to think people can change who they are, so we know from the beginning that this relationship can never really work. That's a big part of why it can be such a slog to sit through.
Stiller does a good job of being unlikable, but he isn't able to make being unlikable interesting. Aside from a few uncomfortably funny quips ("That's the worst story I've ever heard. Bye!"), he is difficult to watch. Gerwig, on the other hand, is kind of a delight. Her Florence is the opposite of Greenberg, a bit of a doormat that lets people use her. She's such a sad and endearing person, and Gerwig gives her just the right amount of spark to make you care for her. Gerwig helps you understand why this girl would settle for Greenberg, even if you don't agree that she should.
To say this film offers nothing new to Baumbach's oeuvre wouldn't be totally fair, but not entirely off the mark, either. It's certainly got some of the funnier moments in any of his films, and Gerwig is enjoyable to watch. But if you've seen The Squid and the Whale, this isn't something that ever reaches the same heights. It's not easy to endure the kinds of characters and situations that Baumbach likes to create, so I simply can't recommend sitting through this one if you've seen anything else he has done.
