Greenberg

Roger Greenberg is a walking case study, a passive-aggressive, deeply narcissistic 40 year-old male. That is almost a redundant description. Have you been around any lately? There seems to be this resigned malaise among a sizable group of pushing 40 to 40-something mainly American guys who can be overheard whining over a Yuengling or a Maker's Mark about what could've been. Assorted Willy Lomans and John Qs, distraught of their plight. Not just in bars, though. They're also at backyard picnics, living rooms during the holidays, in line at Starbucks. It's also interesting to observe how this near middle-aged discomfort knows no bias to religious or political leanings. Lamenting the mediocrity ("this is not my beautiful house...") is not patented by Generation X. The Boomers and every generation before were also quite adept at it, if not quite as vocal. 

Ben Stiller himself is a 40-something who seems to understand the frustrated male behavior patterns quite well. At least onscreen. His performance as the titular GREENBERG is quiet mastery, perhaps his best. His character finds himself back in Los Angeles to housesit for his brother after several years in NYC, part of that time spent in a rehab for initially vague but gradually very understandable reasons. His current goals? Not to do as little as possible, but to do nothing at all. You've probably at least brushed against a Greenberg specimen type somewhere along the way. He's caustic, prone to simmering in a corner, then randomly exploding into fits of rage. He broods, occasionally cracking wise and being charming, but mainly a black cloud hovers over him. He often wounds the more tender souls in his wake, even if he doesn't mean to. One of his victims is Florence (Greta Gerwig), a nanny to his brother's family. She is an attractive, yet unassuming young woman who, even in her early 20s has the persona of a wizened (yet shy) old soul. She's caring and sweet and vulnerable, unsure of how to express herself to others, particularly Greenberg. 

She likes him. Sure, he's 40 and old and all, but she feels a connection. But what an ass the guy can be. She'll open up to him and he'll just piss all over her transparency. Likely because he also doesn't know how to express himself. Greenberg has lots of baggage, perhaps more than others his age. He's another of the millions of also-rans who had hopes and, being his own worst enemy, doused them early on. Specifically, he ruined his old bandmates chances of getting a record deal and moving on to greater things. As Greenberg seeks out his former comrades in L.A., he repeatedly hears the damnations of his ego, his self-righteousness that cost them all success. Things don't go swimmingly on this "vacation."

There's also the awkward encounter and follow-up lunch with a long-ago ex-girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Their scene in the restaurant is rife with unease, so perfectly played by Leigh as she nervously tries to flag the waitress to rescue her form Greenberg's self-loathing. The sort that likely drove her away years before and doomed any chance for a long-term. Her body language and line delivery is so accurate, and we've probably all been there at various times, on both sides of the table. Another telling restaurant scene takes place at Musso and Frank's, a landmark L.A. eatery that's been serving since circa 1919. As a side note, I recently went to the City of Angels and had intended on visiting this place, but the schedule didn't permit. From what I've seen of it in several films, TV shows and in photos, it's a stale, very old school establishment complete with original woodwork and rude service.

In other words, my sorta joint.  Greenberg, Florence, and old friend/bandmate Ivan (Rhys Ifans) join to celebrate Roger's birthday there, and of course the whole event turns sour. The ancient waiters (of various origins) come out singing with a cake, prompting Roger to throw an ugly scene and storm out. I've never witnessed the above scene in real life, but I understood the sentiment. It was one of several painfully astute moments I had while watching GREENBERG. I have felt exactly the same way, wanting to lash out and exit when off-key wait staff come out and awkwardly croak that damned song. I'd want to castigate my friends for staging such an embarrassment. I even remember a warm feeling on my neck, that time I was 15 or so when I happened to look out the living room window to see friends of mine walking to the door. It was my birthday, and they were surprise guests. Ugh. I hated them and my parents right then. It was a invasion of my hallowed space, my sphere of control. Roger Greenberg also hates surprises, but his own unpredictable behavior helps no one else. 

Scene after scene in writer/director Noah Baumbach's latest film features this character acting on the id in the most cringeworthy manner possible. After a while, you wish Baumbach would show something else, just so we can get some distance from this boor. Aside from a long opening credit sequence where we ride with Florence, we're always with him. As for that opening, you might alternatively interpret this film as being through the point-of-view of the young lady, and how perhaps she sees men, but that's a bit of a wild stab, though would be interesting to explore. Rather, perhaps, GREENBERG is a clear-eyed specific character study of not only arrested development, but possible accelerated regression.

Like Woody Allen before him, Roger would just as soon make the journey back into the womb. Witness the party scene near the film's end, as Roger interacts with rowdy Generation Y types. "You guys scare me", he says, referring to how tech savvy they've been from an early age and how they've had parents who were friends rather than parents. He got an "amen" from me there. As the scene plays out, though, Roger quickly joins his juniors in their chemical fest, perhaps becoming even less mature by the minute, trying desparately to fit in, selling himself out, running in place at best. As the sequence goes on and eventually the film concludes, we may see a gradual clarity and healing, or just another episode and cycle. The film only shows a section of Greenberg's life, after all. I wonder what happened the next day....