hermatician
Although, it may seem to many about loneliness and melancholy... its much much more than that.
The movie shows a mature examination of the effects of technology, industrialization and almost everything which describes the 20th century human life, narrated by the central character Prof. Walter Zarrow.
Some of the scenes are written and directed wonderfully by Tim, especially the one where Kristen Stewart shouts out loud how lonely her life is and Prof. Walter is probably just mesmerized at the young raw intelligence in so much grief.
The movie also shows how inconvenient and difficult it can be to even call a friend in need, and how easily a stranger can buzz in a stranger in a tragic situation.
The writing is so philosophical and intelligent that not a single sentence should be missed without digesting it.
Surely its all bagel platter for philosophy and psychology students, but so it may be for others as well.
The drug addict cites Augustine and Walter cites Montaigne before death and as a compliment, this movie can be and I am sure will be cited (at least by me) in many practical situations.
pattkal
Maybe it's because I am NOT a big fan of Kristen Stewart, but I found this movie to droll and slow. Same Waterston is a wonderful actor and doing what he does best (ala Law and Order) and this is talk. I love movies that have interacting characterizations and tell a story. Sometimes the attempt to tell a story with either connecting or non-connecting people doesn't always work out. It does try to humanize the plight of the average American family plagued with everyday problems, but it was stuff we already know.I found this film convoluted, talky and didn't go where I felt it COULD have gone to make it more interesting. Sorry but it was a sleeper me. I like Tribeca Film festival movies for the most part, but this one just did not do it for me. Sorry
DG
Hadn't heard of the film and was scrolling through the HBO/Netflix/Showtime monotony when I stumbled upon it. Kept my interest from start to finish, nothing spectacular but a solid NYC character study of some seemingly random story lines divinely intertwined. Feels a bit forced at times but overall quite enjoyable. I am probably a bit biased living in NYC to be honest but the setting probably elevated my rating a half point or so. Overall casting was solid with a few recognizable faces scattered through an otherwise random cast. 90 minutes was the right amount of time. Would have rated it an 8 but a couple of the story lines just didn't work for me. Definitely better than a lot of the other films being pushed out. 7/10.
thinkingaboutthese
This brilliant production manages to be intellectual and honest without being condescending or preachy.Particularly touching is the relationship between teacher and student. In their conversations, you find a paradox that I would imagine to be common among philosophers: you can delve into your work, searching for truth and meaning, but, by doing that, you can lose the social interaction that is key to finding those in our interconnected world. Humans are in a lose-lose situation, because they can't have both to the "necessary" degree. We can't "have it all". Ultimately, we can only pretend, and the only way to find total happiness is to accept (at worst) lies or (at best) suppositions. We are stuck in a semi-irrational state -- between nothingness and being God-like, as the young boy says to his sister.As another reviewer indicated, this film shares a subtle, and somewhat depressing, "life can't help but go on" message. You see this with the ending of the young boy juxtaposed with the troubles of his mother, but you also see it after the hospitalization of the drug addict. Rather than being focused on the troubles of his close friend, the lawyer was caught up in sex and his work.The film does not give much solace to those confused and looking for answers on life -- it really can't -- but it gives great insight into human suffering.