Greenberg movie review (2010)

Greenberg (2010)

Short review: Directed by Noah Baumbach, "Greenberg", a dark comedy about life in the middle age, is hard to watch at times, and very tedious at others. Actually, there are times when "Greenberg" is funny, or at least amusing, but it's not as often as its director might think. In fact, those funny moments are one, or mostly two. Its story doesn't go any place and we are really not very enlightened about the characters. The script is weak, the characters shallow and limp, and the cinematography and atmosphere very oppressive and dreary. Having said that, I thought, Ben Stiller's performance as the title character was great, especially considering the fact that he is known for his comedic roles. Stiller's character is given some hard hitting truths to convey. He is made out to be mentally ill, in this film, so do yourself a favour, and don't take him seriously. Greta Gerwig who stars as Greenberg's love interest, was far less likable though. Her character, Florence is confused, unsure in herself and emotionally awkward, and you can hardly connect with her. The supporting cast doesn't have a huge impact on the movie. Overall, despite Ben Stiller's convincing performance, "Greenberg" is joyless, often boring, and almost painful to watch.

• My Rating: 3.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 74% (6.6/10)
• IMDb: 6.6/10

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The Changeling movie review

The Changeling (1980)

"The Changeling" is a spooky story about a haunted house, that sounds a bit ordinary, as a premise, but is actually more complex than the average ghost story. This movie is kind of a hybrid of an old-fashioned ghost story and a crime story. The elements mix together pretty well as the movie has a few haunting moments along with quite a bit of mystery. Sure, there are the usual horror clichés but they're all done very effectively and keep you watching and wondering what the haunting is all about. It has a slow, suspenseful pace and interesting characters. George does a fair job, and he does carry the entire film almost single-handedly, and the leads are each given one fleeting emotive moment to heighten our engagement. The most terrifying moment occurs through Trish Van Devere's character, Claire Norman. Her expression of genuine fear is terrifying and very believable. The cinematography of the film is good - the sets are moody and perfectly fit the tone and atmosphere of the story. However, it doesn't have a particularly individual stamp on it. Lots of steady-cam tracking shots are employed by the minimalist Peter Medak, and they're rather effective here. This film manages to be spooky without descending into camp, and suspenseful without overdoing it. "The Changeling" is simple, yet effective and wonderfully subtle horror film, though it feels a bit dated for today's standards, and while spooky, it's not scary at all.

• My Rating: 7.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 79% (7.3/10)
• IMDb: 7.3/10