 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Squid and the Whale
- Review Date: March 20, 2006
- R
- Genre: Drama
- 2005
Common Sense Media says
A family falls apart -- for adults only.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a film for mature viewers, dealing with difficult emotional and moral themes. The family members are hurtful to one another, by deceit, betrayal, quarreling, and spitefulness. Characters smoke occasionally and drink frequently (an underage child drinks beer); one character vomits in a toilet. Most of the sexual content is narrated, as characters describe personal histories and desires, often with graphic language (slang for genitals, frequent uses of the f-word). Some characters engage in sexual activity (a college student kisses her teacher, young couple kisses, mom has affair with tennis pro, a shot from Blue Velvet shows breasts, a young boy masturbates on library books, wipes his semen on a locker, tries on a condom). Some minor violence, including brothers fighting, a wife slapping her estranged husband, an accidental bloody nose.
What's the story?
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE focuses on a family's painful dissolution. Its primary point of view belongs to Walt (Jesse Eisenberg), who is mad -- at his divorcing parents Joan (Laura Linney) and dad Bernard (Jeff Daniels), and his 12-year-old brother Frank (Owen Kline). Walt also feels guilty about the breakup, as well as angsty and twingey because of his 16-year-old hormones. A once famous novelist, Bernard is now a frustrated creative writing professor who sucks up his female students' crushes like air. Bernard moves into a place nearby, and the boys move between apartments on alternate nights, but this does little to ease the transition. Frank is so undone by their bickering that he's soon discovered by school library staff masturbating onto books, the bizarre sign of love and value in his own family. Life becomes decidedly more difficult for the boys as they, and their parents, struggle with the familial upheaval.
Is it any good?
Provocative and intelligent, Noah Baumbach's reportedly autobiographical film tracks Walt's slow evolution during the months surrounding the divorce, while keeping something of a distance, wry and observant.
Providing such detail concerning Walt's disintegrating psyche, the film is occasionally clunky (he sees a museum exhibit called "The Squid and the Whale," warring natural forces like his parents). For the most part, it is a harrowing but rewarding contemplation of the pain family members bring on each other.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the ways this family deals with pain and betrayal: how do the academic parents miss their sons' emotional strains? How do the father's high standards put pressure on his children? How might the kids (eventually) come together in their efforts to survive their difficult situation?
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- Teens & kids
Teen, 15 years old
August 9, 2011
AGE
If you've been through a divorce, definately worth watching
Very good movie about a difficult topic. The very frank sexual discussions may make watching this uncomfortable for some.
What other families should know:
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Teen, 16 years old
October 2, 2010
AGE
The Squid and the Whale Review
“The Squid and the Whale” is a metaphor for divorce. The title refers to an exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, in which a model whale and giant squid are entangled with each other, engaged in a wordless, motionless struggle. Noah Baumbach directs this very personal film, which is, to a certain extent, biographical. The plot follows a family living in the suburbs that’s dysfunctional in every sense of the word, with a narcissistic father, fed-up mother, and misguided pair of brothers who separate and try to find hope despite pain. The writing and acting are both superb. Jesse Eisenberg gives a great performance as the sullen and angry Walt, while his younger brother is just as good as an innocent boy who grows up too fast. Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels are also terrific as the divorcing parents in the film. (Content-wise: there are no good role models, extremely offensive language, sexual acts concerning children, and "questionable" behavior all taking place throughout). The movie is rough, but has a very important, moving message that people need to hear.
What other families should know:
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Disgustingly bad
I watched this movie not knowing what it was about. The only memorable thing I can say is "Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels must have been desperate!" Definitely not for any age kids, especially impressionable ones. The 12 year old boy does things I would NEVER hope my children see. This mention ends abrubtly and leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
A poorly made movie on a good topic
I watched The Squid and The Whale alone, thankfully. I don't know what the screenwriter was thinking, but he missed the boat on a couple of key issues. One, there are no consequences to anyone's actions. For example, when the younger son is caught masturbating on school grounds, the parents are informed and nothing happens. Nada. Zip. Nobody is outraged, hurt, shocked or upset by his behavior. When the older son is caught plagiarizing (he performs a song at his school's variety show that is written by Pink Floyd but claims that he wrote it), he is referred to the school psychologist. Why wasn't the younger son placed in counseling for his behavior (not to mention the fact that he is portrayed drinking not just beer but liquor)? Second, Bernard is clearly an unfit parent; he curses endlessly in front of his kids, has a visible affair with his student in their home, and leaves his younger son home alone while he goes to an event at a distant college campus with disastrous consequences. Again, nothing happens. Most mothers would haul him into court and limit his visitation, but Joan seems passive in this situation. Not good...
Jeff Daniels is a great actor, but I felt like someone else would've portrayed Bernard with a better mix of skill and pathos. I ended up not caring about anyone in this picture and that shouldn't be the case with such a hot-button, emotionally-charged topic.
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| Studio: | Samuel Goldwyn Company |
| Director: | Noah Baumbach |
| Cast: | Jeff Daniels, Jesse Eisenberg, Laura Linney |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 88 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 7, 2005 |
| DVD release date: | March 21, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | for strong sexual content, graphic dialogue and language. |
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