This little family drama starts when estranged siblings come together for a wedding.
It's Jennifer Jason Leigh's wedding, but the movie centers on her narcissistic sister Nicole Kidman, who spends the movie quietly and skillfully tearing down everyone around her, including her own child, and the trying to undo the damage with a half-hearted compliment. She is an interesting character who knows she's often cruel and uncaring but simply blames other people for making her realize it.
Not much happens in the film, which is all about small moments and Kidman's small-scale destruction. The most interesting moments are those in which Kidman confronts her limitations and flaws, as in the tree- climbing scene or the interview. Jack Black is also effective as the schlub JJL is marrying.
I love JJL, but she feels a little overshadowed here. That's understandable, as she plays a relatively normal character.
While there were good scenes, the movie never grabbed me, and the ending left me simply wondering why Baumbach had bothered to make this. It all feels so ultimately pointless.
It's Jennifer Jason Leigh's wedding, but the movie centers on her narcissistic sister Nicole Kidman, who spends the movie quietly and skillfully tearing down everyone around her, including her own child, and the trying to undo the damage with a half-hearted compliment. She is an interesting character who knows she's often cruel and uncaring but simply blames other people for making her realize it.
Not much happens in the film, which is all about small moments and Kidman's small-scale destruction. The most interesting moments are those in which Kidman confronts her limitations and flaws, as in the tree- climbing scene or the interview. Jack Black is also effective as the schlub JJL is marrying.
I love JJL, but she feels a little overshadowed here. That's understandable, as she plays a relatively normal character.
While there were good scenes, the movie never grabbed me, and the ending left me simply wondering why Baumbach had bothered to make this. It all feels so ultimately pointless.