The Meyerowitz Stories review

          This film was my introduction into the work of Noah Baumbach so I didn't know what to expect going into his new film The Meyerowitz Stories. Baumbach is known for movies such as While We're Young, The Squid and the Whale, and Mistress America and fans of his, I'm positive, will pick up this movie with no conflict.
          The Meyerowitz Stories is about a retired college professor with 3 kids who are all half siblings. After awhile, you start to see that the the father Harold (played by Dustin Hoffman) is rather hard to talk to. During a particular scene between Harold and his successful son Matthew (played by Ben Stiller), Harold is persistent in his conversation topics that somewhat elude to him being egotistical while Matthew is doing everything he an to talk about something else. This scene is a perfect example of what this movie has achieved. Glenn Kelley of the New York Times calls this movie an "achievement of balance between engagement and discomfort." This utilization of discomfort for engagement is most visible in this scene between Matthew and Harold and many other scenes throughout the movie. The balance is what is so engaging about this story. Also, throughout the whole movie, Harold, Matthew, and Harold's current wife Eliza are deciding whether or no to to sell their apartment and retire into their country house. At the same time, Danny, one of the kids, is struggling with father issues as he notices his daughter's recent admiration of his brother Matthew and the contact they have had in the past. This, combined with the fact that Harold has showed favoritism towards Matthew, downplays his character and he starts to see himself as the disappointment of the three kids. There is also Jean, the only daughter of Harold. Not much is shown about her back story, but during a scene between her and her brothers, she reveals her reasons as to why she thinks the way she thinks about Harold. About halfway through the movie, something happens to one of the characters and the offspring of Harold are forced to come together and decide whether or not they are ready to face something that would impact their family. Mind you, all 3 of the kids are half siblings so the opportunity for visiting and seeing each other will be impacted. . All these stories, back stories and character arcs come into play as all the kids, when the time comes to reflect on the person that their father was, have to decide whether they liked him and whether they thought he was a good father.
          I tried not to spoil too much, but in order to understand and appreciate this film, I feel that some background knowledge is helpful. I, myself, had to think about it for awhile. If there is anything about this movie that people will complain about, it is the pacing. It is slow and and hard to endure at times, but that is excusable with its writing. The writing for this movie is its strongest point and definitely deserves some recognition. Its this reason that watching the complexities of this family unfold is entertaining.
          The performances are good all around, even from Adam Sandler of all people. Most notably Hoffman. The stubborn nature of his character is portrayed well by him.
          Overall, this movie has a lot of heart and provides an invitation for audience members to reflect on their own parentage and their accomplishments. Its on Netflix so go check it out if you want. 8/10