The Squid and the Whale (www.the-usher.com)

"I'm not living with you"

When Bernard (Daniels) and Joan (Linney) tell their sons that they want to have a family meeting when they return from school, both Walt (Eisenberg) and Frank (Kline) realise that their parents might be getting a divorce. Even though they have come to a joint custody arrangement, the separation starts to affect both Walt and Frank in different ways but both of them start to rebel against their parents and everything else.

Once in a while a film comes along that offers you an insight into the lives of an ordinary family, 'The Squid and the Whale' is one of those films.

Based on the early life of writer/director Noah Baumbach, the movie is a fascinating insight into how divorce can affect the children of a family. Concentrating on how the divorce of Bernard and Joan Berkman impacts Walt and Frank, we see how even a shared custody agreement can be detrimental to both the children and the adults involved.

The divorce affects our four main protagonists in very different ways. Jeff Daniels gives one of the performances of his career as Bernard. After the end of his marriage, Bernard finds it hard to be alone, constantly needs to know what the kids are doing and whinging about all the opportunities he missed while married to Joan. The always-brilliant Laura Linney plays Bernard's wife Joan, who has no problem moving on after the divorce. She makes the character far from sympathetic as she starts to enjoy been single again. It is their two children that steal the show however.

Jesse Eisenberg proves again that he is a young actor to watch with another fine performance. After making a real impact with 'Roger Dodger' in 2002. As Walt he is a teenager just discovering himself as a person and setting out to become an adult. He is having relationships and starting to realise what he wants to be but the revelations that come to light after his parents divorce turn him against his parents. This is a role that he excels in, transforming from a boy who worships his writing parents to one who doesn't want to have anything to do with either of them. Almost stealing the show however is the performance of Owen Kline. The son of stars Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates, he gives an absolutely amazing performance as the youngest son, Frank. He is totally traumatised by the separation of parents and starts acting out in some very aggressive and self-destructive ways. For actor who was only thirteen or fourteen while the film was been produced, this is a performance that is commands your attention and guarantees you take an interest in the character.

'The Squid and the Whale' is a fascinating insight into the effects of divorce on an average family. With one in three marriage ending with legal action, you will either be able to relate to this yourself or know someone who has been affected by divorce. The film successfully and honestly shows this moment in the lives of the Berkman's but this is the film's only problem because you want to know more about them and what happens next in their lives. This is a minor frustration however with the film still been captivating from the off and one that will enthral you throughout.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the movie is presented well.

BONUS FEATURES

Audio Commentary (54.01 mins)
Director Noah Baumbach provides his own task on a director's commentary by not actually talking while the movie is playing. Instead he just talks about the cast and working with them, the characters of the film, rehearsals, his writing process, the production design of the shoot, editing and the music with still shots from the film in the background. While this might sound strange it does give you the chance to actually listen more to what the writer/director has to say without the distractions of the movie.

Behind the Scenes of The Squid and the Whale (9.57 mins)
Writer/Director Noah Baumbach, producer Wes Anderson and stars Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline and William Baldwin take you onto the set of 'The Squid and the Whale'. Here they talk about their characters and the story of how divorce affects a family. With behind the scenes footage of rehearsals and the New York and Brooklyn shoots, this is a decent featurette.

A Conversation with Noah Baumbach and Phillip Lopate (37.31 mins)
Noted writer Phillip Lopate at the New York Film Festival 05 interviews the writer/director. The pair chats about the movie, highlighting the cast and the casting of characters, filming in Brooklyn, setting the movie in 1986 and the family dynamic. This is a very interesting insight into how this low budget character drama was made and how director Noah Baumbach writes and approaches a movie.

Trailers
Previews of 'Capote', 'The Da Vinci Code', 'James Bond Ultimate Collections', 'Fin with Dick and Jane' and the 'Passenger'.

OVERALL

For a low budget release, Sony has done a very good job with the DVD treatment of 'The Squid and the Whale'. Writer/director Noah Baumbach's approach to the commentary is very refreshing and the interviews with him and the rest of the cast in the featurettes offer an insight into the making of the film. Fans should be very pleased.

DVD

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2006