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The Squid and the Whale (2005)

R  |   |  Comedy, Drama  |  16 December 2005 (USA)
7.4
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Ratings: 7.4/10 from 57,517 users   Metascore: 82/100
Reviews: 224 user | 107 critic | 37 from Metacritic.com

Follows two young boys dealing with their parents' divorce in Brooklyn in the 1980s.

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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 21 wins & 40 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
...
...
Ivan
David Benger ...
Carl
...
Molly Barton ...
Graduate Student
Bo Berkman ...
Graduate Student
Matthew Kaplan ...
Graduate Student
Simon Kaplan ...
Graduate Student
Matthew Kirsch ...
Graduate Student
Daniella Markowicz ...
Graduate Student
...
Graduate Student
Ben Schrank ...
Graduate Student
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Storyline

In 1986, In Brooklyn, New York, the dysfunctional family of pseudo intellectuals composed by the university professor Bernard and the prominent writer Joan split. Bernard is a selfish, cheap and jealous decadent writer that rationalizes every attitude in his family and life and does not accept "philistines" - people that do not read books or watch movies, while the unfaithful Joan is growing as a writer and has no problems with "philistines". Their sons, the teenager Walt and the boy Frank, feel the separation and take side: Walt stays with Bernard, and Frank with Joan, and both are affected with abnormal behaviors. Frank drinks booze and smears with sperm the books in the library and a locker in the dress room of his school. The messed-up and insecure Walt uses Roger Water's song "Hey You" in a festival as if it was of his own, and breaks up with his girlfriend Sophie. Meanwhile Joan has an affair with Frank's tennis teacher Ivan and Bernard with his student Lili. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

Joint Custody Blows.

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic dialogue and language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

16 December 2005 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

A Lula e a Baleia  »

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$279,938 (USA) (14 October 2005)

Gross:

£506,477 (UK) (5 May 2006)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

|

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

'Jeff Daniels (I')' character says that he is going to SUNY Binghamton to do a reading towards the end of the movie. While the film is not actually shot on the campus of BU, the actor who plays Ivan, William Baldwin, is an actual alum of Binghamton University. See more »

Goofs

Bernie's car has a Statue of Liberty license plate, which didn't start appearing until 1986. But his car's registration says 1986 on it, which means it was issued in 1984, so it should have the older blue-on-yellow license plate. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Frank Berkman: Mom and me versus you and Dad.
See more »

Connections

References Risky Business (1983) See more »

Soundtracks

Lullaby
Written and Performed by Loudon Wainwright III
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with SONY BMG Music Licensing
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
depressingly refreshing
8 November 2005 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

More acutely than I've experienced in a long time, this film captures the process of personality inheritance within families. The interaction/influence between Bernard and Walt is almost painful to watch at times, but it's completely rich. Beyond just that father/son dynamic, the story is so poignant without ever getting sappy - a true accomplishment for a family drama involving divorce. Nothing hits you over the head. Nothing seems too forced. While there's plenty of confusion, discomfort, and alienation, a sense of love shines through, and I couldn't help but get attached to all of the characters. I recommend this film unconditionally.


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