Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach have a knack for incorporating the many little observations of life, whether funny or deeply interpersonal, into a screenplay. Gerwig manages to direct them with great visuals and clever transitions.
Unfortunately, the only major weakness of the film, in my opinion, also lies in the screenplay. When dealing with larger societal issues, it lacks depth and possibly understanding. The observations work, but the contextualization falls short. The approach feels crude and superficial. This creates a confusing overall impression, as the finely crafted small observations remain convincing. A film that is so intelligent, funny, and creative on an individual level suddenly seems foolish in the grand scheme of things.
Key moments in the film, such as the encounter with the inventor, fail to evoke emotions and come across as insincere. The angry rant about the struggles of being a woman feels cheap. There seems to be a lack of sensitivity, as if someone wanted to vent without making any effort to package it intelligently.
Any scenes that trigger a sense of injustice and express societal criticism in small moments no longer feel precise and may even intentionally appear exaggerated, rather than being convincing parts of a larger whole.
Overall, I'm not entirely sure what to make of the film. On one hand, I had a great time, but on the other hand, I left the screening with mixed feelings.
Making it even more confusing are the consistently brilliant acting performances across the board, with Ryan Gosling obviously standing out.
Unfortunately, the only major weakness of the film, in my opinion, also lies in the screenplay. When dealing with larger societal issues, it lacks depth and possibly understanding. The observations work, but the contextualization falls short. The approach feels crude and superficial. This creates a confusing overall impression, as the finely crafted small observations remain convincing. A film that is so intelligent, funny, and creative on an individual level suddenly seems foolish in the grand scheme of things.
Key moments in the film, such as the encounter with the inventor, fail to evoke emotions and come across as insincere. The angry rant about the struggles of being a woman feels cheap. There seems to be a lack of sensitivity, as if someone wanted to vent without making any effort to package it intelligently.
Any scenes that trigger a sense of injustice and express societal criticism in small moments no longer feel precise and may even intentionally appear exaggerated, rather than being convincing parts of a larger whole.
Overall, I'm not entirely sure what to make of the film. On one hand, I had a great time, but on the other hand, I left the screening with mixed feelings.
Making it even more confusing are the consistently brilliant acting performances across the board, with Ryan Gosling obviously standing out.