Greensburg — Greenberg (R ) is writer/ director Noah Baumbach's lasted indie

drama. Ben Stiller stars as the title character who is just coming off

of a mid-life crisis mental breakdown. With a change of scenery in

mind, Stiller's Greenberg moves from New York City to LA to

house-sit his brother's house and consequently starts to establish a

relationship with his brother's personal assistant (Greta Gerwig).

Ryan: With a less than stellar slate of spring films, Greenberg is the

diamond in the rough. For those looking for a substantive alternative

to most of the mindless films jamming up the local cineplexes,

Greenberg is definitely worth checking out. It's a solid movie. With

noteworthy performances by the two leads and a relevant

screenplay, Greenberg is the type of indie drama that's not only

entertaining to watch but that also leaves a lasting impression.

Andy: Most people have not heard of the movie Greenberg, and it is

not playing on very many screens, but in many ways it is the ideal

spring film. Very soon the studios are going to start rolling out their

big-budget shots at the title of summer hit (it starts in April now!), but

the springtime is reserved for smaller, usually much lower quality

films. Writer / director Noah Baumbach takes all the key elements of

indie cinema and reminds us why the formula works, creating a

movie that is funny, sad, awkward, and charming all at once.

Ryan: It should be pointed out, as a lot has been made of this fact,

that this isn't the typical Ben Stiller part. Make no mistake about it,

this is a dramatic role. But contrary to popular thought, Stiller has

been effective in some non-comedic roles. From Reality Bites to

Zero Effect and Permanent Midnight, Stiller has demonstrated that

he can handle more "serious" work. But with all that said, there's no

question that Stiller's performance in Greenberg is hands down his

best dramatic work (he makes an unlikable character likable) and

enhances his repertoire as an actor.

Andy: Stiller is simply outstanding in this film. He takes a character

who is defined by his selfishness and inability to think of others and

somehow makes him likable enough to support a love story. This is

a difficult role to play, and Stiller pulls it off without a single misstep.

His character is only funny when he’s trying not to be, a departure for

what most people expect of Stiller, but he shows that he has the

chops to pursue serious rolls if he wants them. Of course, he’s

unlikely to see a big payday from doing work like this, but it’s still

good to know he can do it.

Ryan: Not to be outdone by Stiller's performance is that of Greta

Gerwig's. Gerwig is a relative newcomer so I would classify her part

as a breakthrough performance. What's remarkable about her

performance is how unconventional it is. I don't use that term

unconventional to mean quirky and weird. More to the point her

performance is unconventional in how good she is in the film.

Compared to other standard dramatic leads by more seasoned

actresses, Gerwig's performance in the film shows an authenticity

that is lacking from standard Hollywood fare produced by her

contemporaries. I hope this performance is not forgotten when

award season comes around.

Andy: I would agree with that assessment completely. Gerwig never

seems like a character in a movie; she seems real. When she

makes decisions that make her life more complicated, we feel bad

for her because of how valid it is for her character to make those

decisions. A performance this accurate and nuanced will surly gain

her enough notice that we will see her showing up in more and

more films over the next couple of years.

Greenberg is a charming indie drama that works well from start to

finish. Final grade: B+.