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While We're Young


Starring: Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, and Amanda Seyfried
Directed by: Noah Baumbach
Screenplay by: Noah Baumbach

    Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts) are a middle-aged couple.  Cornelia has had some success in producing documentary films with her father who is a documentary filmmaker.  Josh is himself a documentary filmmaker, having difficulty attaining success.  He's been working on the same film for ten years and hasn't gotten anywhere with it.  He can't seem to be able to finish it.  Their friends are moving on with their lives in ways like having children and being successful in their jobs.  Josh and Cornelia don't seem to be going anywhere.
    One day, they meet a younger couple, Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried).  These two younger people are basically hipsters, living life to the fullest they can while they're young.  Jamie has a passion for documentary film like Josh does, but doesn't quite know what he wants to film yet.  Darby is an ice cream maker, but not having too much success with selling it.  Both couples are having difficulty in going places.  Once they meet each other and start becoming friends, all four of their lives will begin to change.
    This story is intriguing because it involves four people who are very similar on one hand, and totally different on the other.  Josh and Cornelia being older have more experience in life, but lack the ambition and discipline that Jamie and Darby have.  Josh and Cornelia also have a grip on the mainstream that Jamie and Darby do not have.  Some interesting moments in which this shows up is when all four of them are together and use technology very differently.  Josh and Cornelia are more adept with their iPhones than Jamie and Darby are.  One interesting moment is when they are trying to think of something that can easily be searched for on Google.  Josh immediately suggests that they look it up, whereas Jamie suggests it's better to simply keep wondering what it is called.  I find this juxtaposition extremely interesting because it shows both a connection on a personal level between the older people and the younger people, as well as a technological disconnect between them.
     The character development is sound throughout much of the film and there are relatively few plot holes.  There are details however that are brought up towards the beginning of the film that audiences might forget about toward the end until they reappear.  It is a slow paced story with a lot of details making the film seem much longer than it really is.  With a run time of just over 90 minutes, it feels like you're in the theater for a little over two hours.  While We're Young paints an interesting picture of generational differences and relationships in the current day.  It is a serious movie, but not too serious of a story thanks to its comedic relief moments.
     I hadn't actually heard about this movie until the day before I saw it.  The advertisements may not be everywhere like they are for a huge budget film, but if you can find it, I highly recommend seeing this film.  It is an intriguing character study as well as an entertaining film.
     I give While We're Young a B+.

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