DVD Reviews

Greenberg - Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jul 14, 2010, 16:16 GMT

$Roger Greenberg (Stiller) is single, fortyish and deliberately doing nothing. In search of a place to restart his life, he agrees to housesit for his brother in LA and tries to reconnect with his former bandmate (Rhys Ifans) and successful ex-girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh). But old friends aren\'t necessarily still best friends, and Greenberg soon finds himself forging a connection with his brother\'s personal assistant, Florence (Greta Gerwig). Despite his$

Roger Greenberg (Stiller) is single, fortyish and deliberately doing nothing. In search of a place to restart his life, he agrees to housesit for his brother in LA and tries to reconnect with his former bandmate (Rhys Ifans) and successful ex-girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh). But old friends aren\'t necessarily still best friends, and Greenberg soon finds himself forging a connection with his brother\'s personal assistant, Florence (Greta Gerwig). Despite his ...more

“You’re of value.”

Ben Stiller goes against his usual type as a misanthropic, neurotic carpenter.

Director Noah Baumbach explores the world of this eccentric and it’s buoyed the performances, but only those in New York or L.A. may find something to love in the person of Greenberg.

Forty-year-old Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) has just been released from a mental hospital. He was a patient thanks to a nervous breakdown. He’s originally from New York but has come to Los Angeles to stay at his brother Phillip’s (Chris Messina) house while they’re away on a vacation in Vietnam.

Roger just wants to focus on doing nothing and building a doghouse for the family pet. Phillip’s harried personal assistant Florence Marr (Greta Gerwig), an awkward college student, is also at Roger’s beck and call and the opposites seem to attract. Roger takes time to catch up with some of his grown up college pals thanks to his best friend Ivan (Rhys Ifans) and finds that he really doesn’t like them.

He also tries to rekindle an old flame, Beth (Jennifer Jason Leigh), but she prefers for their relationship to remain dormant. Things seem to be moving along between Florence and Roger, but both a sick dog and Roger’s neurosis tend to get in the way.

Greenberg is what I might dub a big city comedy. Roger seems an archetype of the New York or Los Angeles upper class dweller. You’re not likely to find a type like his in Mayberry, and if he was there he’d more than likely keep his oddities to himself. So I’d imagine that New Yorkers or the like will appreciate the oddities of Greenberg, Mayberry residents not so much.

He also is a very self-absorbed fellow, taking time to write numerous letters to those that he has nitpicks with (airlines, pet taxi service, Mayor Bloomberg, etc.). He can pour out these petty grievances on the printed page, but he can’t seem to address the problems in his life and acquaintances. Florence also seems a bit lost.

When she’s not hurriedly running around for Phillip or Roger, she leads what appears to be a pretty lonely life. Unlucky in love and the appearance of Roger in her life might also seem an unlucky event. However, the two confused souls seem to click and a odd romance develops.

Another shining light is Greenberg’s friend Ivan, played with character by Ifans. He seems willing to try and help out Greenberg, no matter that Greenberg’s decisions might have also messed up Ivan’s life. Not that Greenberg can admit that and blames other events for it. It’s this trio of performances that lift the film from being an annoying serial letter writer to an affable eccentric.

Greenberg is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.35:1). Special features sound full, but really aren’t very much. Makes me want to draft a letter… The 3 minute “A Behind the Scenes Look at Greenberg” is a standard making of, the 2 minute “Greenberg loves Los Angeles” is about shooting the film, and the 2 minute “Noah Baumbach takes a novel approach” has the director stating his intentions.

They are all presented in high definition. Otherwise you do get some disc special features. The disc is BD-Live enhanced and has Pocket Blu (for your iPod, Blackberry, etc.) and Social Blu (allowing you to chat with your friends during the flick or if you have ones like Greenberg to complain about their slights).

Greenberg is going to be an acquired taste. It will play better where Greenberg types are more the norm. Though they’ll be drafting letters to Baumbach saying that he got it all wrong or to stop spying on them. The performances are top notch, but the people portrayed might not be the kinds that you’ll want to watch over and over again.