While We're Young
Published November 7, 2015
Film info
- Title While We're Young
- Director Noah Baumbach
- Year 2014
- Run time 1hr 37m
- Genres Comedy, Mystery, Drama
- Tagline Life never gets old
Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts are Josh and Cornelia Srebnick, happily married middle-aged members of New York's creative class. Enter Jamie and Darby, a free-spirited young couple, who are spontaneous and untethered, ready to drop everything in pursuit of their next passion — retro board games one day, acquiring a pet chicken the next. For Josh, it’s as if a door has opened back to his youth — or a youth he wishes he once had. But is this new inspiration enough to sustain collaboration and friendship with a couple twenty years their junior?
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 1:24 | Always wanted to read a play on the big screen. |
| 3:49 | “I can’t remember Goldilocks anymore either.” |
| 4:38 | They are so us. I’m worried they’re going to change. Stay as you are! |
| 9:19 | Top tips from the master at work. |
| 12:23 | Crazy hipsters! |
| 14:10 | Good Cop, Bad Cop are two great names for pets. |
| 20:02 | Jolly Ranchers as a drink! |
| 26:38 | I think arthritis is not so much an old person’s disease these days anyway. |
| 30:28 | “You don’t collaborate well.” Ouch! |
| 33:28 | They’re actually beyond hipster really. |
| 38:53 | “Being around you, I see what’s possible again.” |
| 45:10 | Trying to recreate a moment is so hard! |
| 48:18 | The baby cult. |
| 49:34 | Tipper has the best t-shirts. “Some college I didn’t go to.” |
| 1:03:07 | “I was trying out being generous.” |
| 1:06:42 | Can’t get away with anything now Twitter exists. |
| 1:17:46 | Roller blades on the tube doesn’t seem like a safe concept! |
| 1:21:49 | “If everyone is filming everything, what’s a documentary anymore?” |
Conclusions
On the surface, this was a solid indie film, taking a close up look at a relationship and how it works when compared to the next generation. All the acting was good, I quite enjoyed Ben trying to relax and unwind even in scenarios he wasn’t quite comfortable with. And the younger couple were just so hipster it hurt.
The issue, really, is that the story about the underhanded tactics of Jamie didn’t quite ring true, considering how much effort was put into the relationship. And equally, with the big speech at the end about the new generation of filmmakers “doing it wrong” it all felt just a little bit preachy.
Worth a watch if you’re at a loose end, but it wasn’t quite what I hoped it would be. It almost felt like Stiller was trying to recreate the genius of Walter Mitty and missed. Actually, yea, don’t watch this, watch Mitty again.
Rating: 2/5.
Rating: 2 / 5