Watch the 2005 Noah Baumbach indie film before it leaves Netflix next week
If you think Netflix is done with heartbreaking removals, think again. One of the most critically acclaimed indie films of the 2000s, The Squid and the Whale, is counting down its final days on the platform, and you’re not ready for it.
Directed by Noah Baumbach and produced by Wes Anderson, the 2005 comedy-drama is scheduled to leave Netflix on October 16th, leaving viewers less than a week to catch up.
The semi-autobiographical drama, The Squid and the Whale, follows the messy divorce of two Brooklyn-based writers, Bernard and Joan Berkman, in 1986, and the emotional fallout of the bitter phase on their two sons, 16-year-old Walt and 12-year-old Frank. For context, Bernard is a failing novelist and college professor whose career has seen better days. But when his wife’s rising success hurts his ego, he gets entangled in an inappropriate relationship with one of his students, who moves in with him.
Meanwhile, Joan has been experiencing years of marital friction. However, once she initiates the separation, she starts dating Frank’s tennis instructor.
Although they are brothers, when it comes to choosing, Walt idolises his narcissistic father and blames Joan for destroying the family; Frank sides with his mother. But as the custody battle intensifies, both boys get crushed under the weight of their parents’ mutual hostility, experiencing severe trauma that manifests in their behaviour.
If you’re a Baumbach fan who enjoys his works, including Marriage Story, Frances Ha, and The Meyerowitz Stories, The Squid and the Whale is simply unmissable. The film earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and before we forget, both Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney deliver stunning performances as Bernard and Joan, respectively.
Unlike most separation dramas that opt for tidy resolutions, The Squid and the Whale is an authentic masterpiece that embraces the flawed and selfish nature of its characters without polishing for the audience.
The film is particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced world where emotional fatigue is at an all-time high. It unflinchingly captures how kids absorb their parents’ flaws, the awkwardness and absurdity of joint custody, and the painful reality check that stops children from idolising their parents.
Clocking in at only 81 minutes, The Squid and the Whale packs purpose into every scene, leaving no room for fluff. So, if you appreciate sharp character-driven storytelling about not-so-ideal family dynamics and love a good movie with an applaudable Hollywood legacy, you cannot skip this for the world.