Directed by Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding, co-writer of The Life Aquatic)

Starring some guys, and Eric Stoltz (Not the Will Ferrell movie of the same name)

IMDB Synopsis: “After college graduation, Grover’s girlfriend Jane tells him she’s moving to Prague to study writing. Grover declines to accompany her, deciding instead to move in with several friends, all of whom can’t quite work up the inertia to escape their university’s pull. Nobody wants to make any big decisions that would radically alter his life, yet none of them wants to end up like Chet, the professional student who tends bar and is in his tenth year of university studies.”

I’ve been a big fan of Noah Baumbach’s since I saw The Squid and The Whale several years ago. Then I really enjoyed his somber, angst-filled, yet somewhat comedic Margot at The Wedding when I saw that in theaters last year. These films are both marked with an extremely dry humor paired with a serious and thoughtful examination of family relationships, which I found brilliant and really interesting (though not necessarily the most entertaining watch). I guess what I like about them is the underlying sincerity that simultaneously draws humor from the absurdity of the characters’ normal thoughts and actions, while never making fun of them or really passing judgement on them. Kicking and Screaming was the first film that he made, and, like I have said previously, I love to see the debut film of a director who I really respect.

Consequently, I have wanted to see this movie for awhile, though I am so glad that I waited until now to watch it. Not only do I feel like the movie speaks directly to me at the stage of life I am currently in, but it is also exactly the kind of movie that I would love to make. The movie is essentially about post-college angst, making that leap from living life as a student to being an adult. Its a coming-of-age movie, like Diner, which I reviewed a few weeks back, or American Graffiti, and its about four guys who are essentially in the same position I am. Kicking and Screaming has even more of that feeling of “authenticity” that I talked about with Diner. It may be a generational thing that allowed me to relate to it more, but I don’t know. I think that it’s a thoughtful movie with a serious emotional weight hidden behind its comedic tone, and surface layer of inane chit-chat and pop-culture references. 

The story is not just about these guys dealing with the “responsibilities” that comes with being an adult. It’s about the pressures that come with having to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life when you have had every advantage. I also think that the film offers some profound statements and reflections about our culture that are as true, if not truer, now than they were when the film came out. An example, look at this quick exchange between the characters of Max and Skippy (strange name choices occur throughout the movie):

Max: I’m too nostalgic. I’ll admit it. 
Skippy: We graduated four months ago. What can you possibly be nostalgic for? 
Max: I’m nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I’ve begun reminiscing events before they even occur. I’m reminiscing this right now. I can’t go to the bar tonight because I’ve already looked back on it in my memory… and I didn’t have a good time.

Something about the ideas expressed there really strike true to me, and the rest of the movie hits me just as closely. It might be that I just watched it at the right time of my life, but I really loved this movie. As soon as the credits came up, I considered watching it again immediately, but, alas, I had to work this morning (though that didn’t stop me from watching all of the bonus material on the DVD).

9/10 - Up there on my list of favorites.