Movie Review: While We're Young

Cast: Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Driver, Charles Grodin, Adam Horovitz.
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Noah Baumbach

Written and Directed by Noah Baumbach, While We're Young tells the story of Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts), a middle-aged couple whose lives are turned upside down after they befriend a young, hipster couple, Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried). Josh is a documentary filmmaker who has been working on the same film for nearly a decade. His life has come to a standstill, and in his own words, the only two feelings he has left are "wistful and disdainful". But when he meets exciting young couple Jamie and Darby, he feels invigorated, both in his career and his marriage. They are spontaneous, fun, and everything Josh and Cornelia are not. But of course, not everything is as it seems. Don't worry, NO SPOILERS here!

I really liked this honest, funny, yet moving film. I was engaged, liked the characters and even related to some of the feelings portrayed. I like it when actors predominantly known for their comedy roles (in this case Ben Stiller) take on something a little deeper and more meaningful. Case in point; Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love. Check that out if you haven't already, it's a beautiful little gem. I digress! I'm a big fan of TV's Girls, and Adam Driver is good in this (he plays Hannah's love interest in Girls). The only thing that annoyed me was the dialogue where Driver's character says "see?" at the end of way too many sentences. Overkill! But that's a tiny point that hardly detracts from a fresh, poignant, funny and enjoyable film.

In researching Noah Baumbach, I notice he also wrote and directed multiple films on my To Watch list: Greenberg (also starring Ben Stiller), Frances Ha (Adam Driver is in this) and Kicking And Screaming (Parker Posey and Eric Stoltz, two of my favourites). 

While We're Young is screening now in Australian cinemas.