There is quite a personal feel to this movie that captures a couple that is divorcing and how that affects their children. I enjoy the interesting rhythm to the dialogue in Noah Baumbach movies and this one was no exception. The family is portrayed as overly honest and perhaps inappropriate conversations with their children. Overall it's an interesting slice of life type of movie. There's a bit of a story as everyone adjusts to the divorce but it's really not about payoff. The running time is under 90 minutes so it's short and sweet and doesn't outstay its welcome.

The Squid and The Whale is a very misleading title since the film has nothing to do with sea creatures. Instead, it is about the impact of family decisions. The root of of it all is a divorce between Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney. Jesse Eisenberg co-stars in one of his breakout roles as their teenage son, Walt. Although an odd film, it is one to savour. Taking place in Brooklyn in 1986, Jeff Daniels plays a college professor whose writing career on the side has not been well. Laura Linney is his very unhappy wife. They have been married for about 16 years and have been miserable the whole time. Both do their best to make it work for the kids' sake, but don't want to continue the lies and misery. One morning, Daniels tells both his sons to come straight home from school because they are having a very important family meeting. He doesn't say what, which makes both Walt and Frank nervous the whole day at school. We get a brief montage of both sons disconnected from the world as they await what their parents could possibly say. The montage is brief and Daniels' announcement is brief, but it leaves an impact on the viewer of how the littlest things can impact children.They announce they are getting divorced and will have shared custody. Both children are devastated. We are too. It is such an odd feel when Daniels moves out and the kids try to adjust to a new lifestyle. We feel just like the kids. Walt learns some secrets about his parents' past and decides to live with dad full time, while Frank wants to spend more time with his mother. Mom starts dating Frank's tennis coach (William Baldwin) and dad has an affair with one of his students (Anna Paquin) who temporarily moves in with him. It's weird seeing your parents date. But Walt and Frank have troubles of their own. Walt is having girl troubles, ultimately because of his parents' rocky marriage, and claims to have written "Hey You" by Pink Floyd. Frank wants to grow up faster, so he sneaks booze and masterbates to a cutout of a woman's hips. Would this all have happened if their parents had a good marriage? The movie noticeably was made with a really low budget. And at 81 minutes no less. It did not need to be long. The shortness and low-budget gave the audience the intimacy to relate to the characters. They seem alive and the movie itself has so much humanity in it.

Noah Baumbach's breakthrough feature is a smartly written, aptly directed & brilliantly performed indie that cleverly combines the elements of drama & comedy into one gripping story, is filled with authentic, fully-drawn characters, and offers an honest take on divorce & how it affects everyone who is part of the family.Set in Brooklyn during the 1980s, The Squid and the Whale tells the story of two boys whose lives are turned upside down when they learn that their parents are separating and are going to share a joint custody. Having trouble in adjusting to the suddenly changed situation in the house, the two kids respond in their own ways to cope with the trauma.Written & directed by Noah Baumbach, the film sets up its premise relatively quick and introduces the family when it is on the brink of falling apart, which happens only few moments later. The story is as much about the parents who have to cope with single life after divorce in addition to continue playing the parent part as it is about the kids whose daily lives are affected due to the separation.The dialogues are kept simple yet carry a sharp edge, and every sequence only adds more flesh & depth to the four relevant people in the picture. Also impressive is how well it manages to mix both bitterness & tenderness in nearly every scene throughout its 80 minutes of runtime. And everyone from Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline & even Anna Paquin chip in with very believable performances.On an overall scale, The Squid and the Whale is crafted with extensive personal investment which is evident in the final print and happens to be as enjoyable as it is biting, thanks to skillful writing & superb direction from Baumbach as he stuffs every painful moment of his semi-autobiographical tale with clever wit to make its familial themes more accessible & relatable to the viewers without exposing them to the grimness of failed relationships.

Although the movie shows excellent acting, it doesn't go anywhere. The Squid and the Whale is a display in the Natural History Museum. It shows a fight between a giant squid and a whale, and it seems to be used as a metaphor for the fight of two parents. The parents separate in the beginning of the movie. Some attempts are made to get together again, but when one shows willingness the other one rejects that, and vice-versa. In the end the sons have left their father as well. And that is the entire plot. So not much is going on this movie. However, the acting by almost all actors is very good, and it is a feast to see that. So all in all, I gave this movie a 7/10, but mainly for the acting.