Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale is a dense deep dive.
The squid and the whale is an exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. The diorama is of a giant squid struggling against a sperm whale. It is frightening and dramatic and leaves a lasting impression on its visitors. The Squid and the Whale is also an 80-minute film directed and written by Noah Baumbach. His 2005 breakout movie is provocative, and just like the model it is named after, it strikes its audience with its depth and realism.
Like many of Baumbach’s other films, The Squid and the Whale is quite personal but not exactly autobiographical. The film focuses on the Berkmans, a Brooklyn-based family whose dissonance is exacerbated by the parents’ divorce. Like 16-year-old Walt Berkman (Jesse Eisenberg), Baumbach came of age in New York in the mid-80s. Walt’s younger sibling, Frank Berkman (Owen Kline), runs parallel to Baumbach’s own brother. Washed-up author Bernard Berkman (Jeff Daniels) and his unfaithful wife Joan Berkman (Laura Linney) split, as did Baumbach’s parents.
As Bernard and Joan share joint custody of the two boys, the rift in the family becomes more apparent. Walt, who idolizes Bernard completely, holds disdain for his mother, refuses to consider her side in the marriage, and discounts the recent success she has had in writing. He espouses his father’s views on women, literature, and school, failing to construct an identity of his own. This behavior is detrimental as Bernard largely lacks empathy and self-awareness, and his narcissism and pompousness are what drive Joan, and ultimately the rest of his family, away. Frank, on the other hand, does not care for the sophistication that his brother and father so highly prize and finds more comfort in his mother. Joan is more parental than Bernard, but she too is flawed. At times inappropriate and irresponsible, she divulges her affairs to Walt and Frank, once slaps Walt in public, and sometimes leaves Frank with little supervision. These dynamics are portrayed in an authentic way and culminates in some Berkmans achieving insight and others continuing to stagnate.
Though I found the way the movie was shot inconsistent and awkward at times, Baumbach executes the rest of the elements of the film brilliantly and effortlessly. The soundtrack complements the scenes, and the recurring theme of Pink Floyd’s “Hey You”, a song of vulnerability and individuality, is very suiting. The editing is smooth and underscores moments when it needs to. This movie’s cast does an excellent job bringing the script to life, especially Daniels and Eisenberg, who capture the essence of a filial relationship built on blind adoration. The script itself is fantastic. Baumbach excels at making characters embarrassingly honest and does not shy away from depicting more unpleasant qualities.
The plot is there in this movie, but it should not be the focal point. Many, if not most, commercially successful films have characters whose purpose is to resolve a clear conflict and grand storylines. I enjoy a lot of these movies, and the previous statement is not in any way to patronize or generalize these pieces. It is simply to point out the obvious: different forms suit different objectives. For The Squid and the Whale, its subtle plot structure allows for more focus on its motifs, symbols, and themes. This portrait of a family being torn apart reveals the shortcomings and weaknesses in everyone, the way in which parents affect their children, and the importance of having a solid sense of your own identity and independent perspective. It makes for an incredibly human film.
With Baumbach signing a multi-year contract with Netflix, this movie, along with several others of his, are available on the streaming platform. One of Baumbach’s best works, The Squid and the Whale is rich in truth and clarity, as is the model it is named after.
