Greenberg

Greenberg is a slightly tedious movie about an extremely tedious man, played with frightening conviction by Ben Stiller. Greenberg is man who hates the world only a little bit less than he hates himself. Having just checked out of a mental institution following a nervous breakdown, he is coming from New York, where he lives and works as a carpenter, to LA to live in his brother's large house for six weeks. His brother and family will be away, leaving Greenberg with Florence, the family's personal assistant. Apparently families have personal assistants in LA. Florence is as warm and likeable as Greenberg is not. Inexplicably, she seems to like him and the two start a sort of halting affair. The compelling part (the only compelling part) of this movie is watching Greenberg try to get beyond himself to reach out and be decent to Florence, who would be the best thing that ever happened to him, if he would just give her a chance. By the end there are tentative signs that he may manage, but by then we have ceased to care, even if Florence hasn't. This movie has a theme reminiscent of the far superior As Good As It Gets. That movie is always a pleasure to watch. The Nicholson character, while being as self centred as they come, was someone you could imagine caring about. Greenberg is not. The movie is not hugely enjoyable and a tad pointless. Great performances from Stiller and Greta Gerwig as Florence.