Alec B
Dark comedies centered on self-obsessed and vicious geniuses are quickly becoming an insufferable cliché, but Alex Ross Perry avoids that by taking the time to seriously examine characters that generally are superfluous outliers in these kinds of films (specifically the jilted girlfriend and the enabling older mentor). This gives the character study scope, but never sacrifices intimacy.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
12/13/23
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Audience Member
*Full disclosure: I thought this film was about Philip Roth, the GOAT, and apparently I wasn't the only one.* While I quickly discerned that Listen Up Philip was not about my favorite writer, I quickly fell in step with wunderkind writer, Philip Friedman's (Jason Schwartzman), snappish, snobby personality. Schwartzman, who plays Philip cantankerous far beyond his years, speaks with a rhythmic cadence I very much enjoyed. I'm partial to films about writers, especially those in New York City, and this one had the makings of a powerful, entertaining film, had it not taken a few questionable missteps. The first is the narration. Why? Why, oh why? It served no purpose here. Elisabeth Moss is the queen of portraying an emotion without actually speaking. So much of what the narrator (Eric Bogosian) was saying could've been easily discernible from what the actors were… ya know… acting. I was also surprised with the change in POV to Moss' character, Ashley, which stalled the burgeoning plot with Philip and didn't have much of a pay-off. Lastly, the climax came and went with a whimper (if it even came at all). Jonathan Pryce, a criminally underrated actor, also plays one of my favorite archetypes — the (oftentimes British), adequately cantankerous, reclusive writer. He's an excellent character whose vanity pokes through the surface as he lies, for some reason, about the year of the scotch he serves to guests — he misrepresents 10-year Laphroaig to be the 20 more than once. Can't find what type of film on which it was shot, but it looks good. This is definitely my favorite major Schwartzman role (yes, even over Rushmore, but maybe not Wine Country, a not very good movie with a couple of solid ancillary-character performances). With an (82/54) RT score as I write this, I can see why the general audience soured on Listen Up Philip, however, if you enjoy the kinds of characters you probably wouldn't enjoy in real life, this film is for you.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/01/23
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Audience Member
Uncomfortably straight and honest at times the film is an unusual (for a contemporary mass audience targeted movie) glance at a psychological comedy-slash-thriller. Unique and captivating, although unsettling.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
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Audience Member
A bizarre movie. A young writer's (Philip) second book is about to be published. He is abrupt, ill mannered, impolite, unpredictable from beginning to end. At the beginning of the movie he rebukes his ex girl friend just because she came late to their appointment, saying he was planning to give this copy to her, but now he is not giving it, and he is living. Later he stops planned promotion of his upcoming book like out of blue sky. Then he leaves his girl friend to get mentoring from an old, famous writer. The guy is just super ego centric, behaving jerky, irritating the viewer from beginning to end. And Jason Schwartzman just fits to this role so naturally.
But funny thing is that this character has its charm also; particularly to women. He gets attraction at first, goes into relation. and then he destroys his credits in the relation without caring.
Can one live like that? Why would/should one like to live like that? What does he want? does he hate to be politicly correct? or just does not want to be a hypocrite? These are the questions stroked my mind after the movie.
One other striking thing in the movie was the superb performance of women characters. From Philip's girl friend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss) to Emily (Dree Hemingway - I would love to see Dree Hemingway in main roles. There is something so teasing with her). They were hyper modern day's real, casual, lovely women.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/25/23
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diane h
The narration was pretentious and boring. The main character was totally unlikable. All the characters felt contrived and fake. It seemed to go on forever.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
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Audience Member
Talky but effective socially brutality.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
09/11/19
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