The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Director:

Noah Baumbach

Writer (WGA):

Noah Baumbach (written by)

Release Date:

3 March 2006 (Turkey)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Joint Custody Blows.

Plot:

Based on the true childhood experiences of Noah Baumbach and his brother, The Squid and the Whale tells the touching story of two young boys dealing with their parents divorce in Brooklyn in the 1980's.

Plot Keywords:

Writer | Tennis | Dysfunctional Family | Divorce | Coach

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 wins & 25 nominations

Cast

Owen Kline	...	Frank Berkman
Jeff Daniels	...	Bernard Berkman
Laura Linney	...	Joan Berkman
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Walt Berkman
William Baldwin	...	Ivan
David Benger	...	Carl
Anna Paquin	...	Lili
Molly Barton	...	Graduate Student
Bo Berkman	...	Graduate Student
Matthew Kaplan	...	Graduate Student
Simon Kaplan	...	Graduate Student
Matthew Kirsch	...	Graduate Student
Daniella Markowicz	...	Graduate Student
Elizabeth Meriwether	...	Graduate Student
Ben Schrank	...	Graduate Student
Amy Srebnick	...	Graduate Student
Josh Srebnick	...	Graduate Student
Emma Straub	...	Graduate Student
Alan Wilkis	...	Graduate Student (as Alan Wilks)
James Hamilton	...	Man with Joan
Adam Rose	...	Otto
Henry Glovinsky	...	Lance
Eli Gelb	...	Jeffrey
Halley Feiffer	...	Sophie Greenberg
Wayne Lawson	...	Talent Show Judge
Michael Santiago	...	Talent Show Judge
Juan Torriente	...	Talent Show Judge
Patricia Towers	...	Talent Show Judge
Peggy Gormley	...	Mrs. Greenberg
Peter Newman	...	Mr. Greenberg
Greta Kline	...	Greta Greenberg
Melissa Meyer	...	Professor
Benjamin Smolen	...	Student with Puppets
Michael Countryman	...	Mr. Simic
Alexandra Daddario	...	Pretty Girl
Nico Baumbach	...	Jeb Gelber
Maryann Plunkett	...	Ms. Lemon
Hector Otero	...	Hector
Ken Leung	...	School Therapist
Jo Yang	...	Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joyce DeWitt	...	Janet Wood (archive footage)

Directed by
Noah Baumbach

Writing credits (WGA)
Noah Baumbach		(written by)

Produced by
Wes Anderson	....	producer
Reverge Anselmo	....	executive producer
Miranda Bailey	....	executive producer
Charlie Corwin	....	producer
Greg Johnson	....	executive producer
Andrew Lauren	....	executive producer
Clara Markowicz	....	producer
Peter Newman	....	producer
Jennifer Roth	....	co-producer (as Jennifer M. Roth)

Original Music by
Britta Phillips
Dean Wareham

Cinematography by
Robert D. Yeoman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tim Streeto

Casting by
Douglas Aibel

Production Design by
Anne Ross

Art Direction by
Jennifer Dehghan

Set Decoration by
Robert Covelman

Costume Design by
Amy Westcott

Makeup Department
Lori Guidroz	....	key hair stylist
Maya Hardinge	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Hans Graffunder	....	unit production manager
Joe Hobeck	....	additional post-production supervisor
Christopher Kenneally	....	post-production supervisor (as Chris Kenneally)
Jennifer Roth	....	unit production manager (as Jennifer M. Roth)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David 'Wex' Wechsler	....	first assistant director (as David Wechsler)
Adam T. Weisinger	....	second second assistant director
Eric Yellin	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Costanza Theodoli Braschi	....	art department assistant
Jason Bruno	....	art department assistant
Jeff Butcher	....	property master
Barker Gerard	....	art department assistant
Nancy Griffith	....	first assistant props
Madeline O. Hartling	....	camera scenic (as Madeline Hartling)
Julie Ho	....	art department assistant
Richard Laurenzi	....	camera scenic
Lars Lindahl	....	art department assistant (as Lars Lindhal)
Laura Ng	....	art department assistant
Michael Raisler	....	art department assistant (as Mike Raisler)
James Sherman	....	on-set dresser
Charley Siegel	....	art department assistant (as Charles Siegel)
Susan Tatom	....	lead person
David Wexler	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Shaun Brennan	....	foley artist
Allan Byer	....	sound mixer
Rachel Chancey	....	foley editor
Rachel Chancey	....	foley recordist
Mark Filip	....	sound effects editor
Lewis Goldstein	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lewis Goldstein	....	supervising sound editor
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Julia Shirar	....	dialogue editor
Derek Somaru	....	post-production sound intern
Alfredo Viteri	....	boom operator
Damian Volpe	....	adr recordist
Damian Volpe	....	foley recordist

Visual Effects by
Markus Janner	....	digital opticals: Duart Digital
Jennifer Russomanno	....	digital opticals: Duart Digital
Keith Yurevitz	....	digital opticals: Duart Digital

Camera and Electrical Department
Bobby Andres	....	grip
Evelina Andres	....	grip
Robert M. Andres	....	key grip (as Bob Andres)
Alison Barton	....	best boy grip (as Allison Barton)
Nico Baumbach	....	videographer
Nils Benson	....	camera operator
Lamont Crawford	....	grip
George Elias	....	grip
Lisa Marie Gleeson	....	electrician
James Hamilton	....	still photographer
Chris Hayes	....	electrician
Bernard James	....	electrician
Jendra Jarnagin	....	additional electrician
Hardwick Johnson	....	special thanks: Camera Service Center
Keith Kalohelani	....	electrician
Scott Kincaid	....	electrician
Doug Kofsky	....	second assistant camera
Taylor Levy	....	camera production assistant
Scott Maher	....	electrician
Simeon Moore	....	electrician
Beth O'Brien	....	electrician
Storn Peterson	....	first assistant camera
Nate Ranger	....	assistant camera
Gay E. Riedel	....	electrician (as Gay Riedel)
Dave Rudolph	....	electrician
John Schwartz	....	best boy electric
Douglas W. Shannon	....	gaffer
Steve Speers	....	second assistant camera (as Stephen Speers)
Charlie Tammaro	....	special thanks: Camera Service Center
Irapaul Turner	....	grip (as Ira Paul Turner)

Casting Department
Gimardi Cueto	....	extras casting associate
Stephanie Holbrook	....	casting associate
Ulysses Terrero	....	extras casting: T & T Casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mei Lai Hippisley Coxe	....	set costumer
Karen Malecki	....	assistant costume designer (as Karen Waiton)
Lisa Marzolf	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Perri B. Frank	....	assistant editor
Noëlle Penraat	....	negative cutter
David Pultz	....	color timer

Music Department
Jim Dunbar	....	music coordinator
Diego Garrido	....	score mixer
Christopher S. Parker	....	music clearance
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor
Daniel Srebnick	....	composer: additional music (as Daniel Antonio Srebnick)

Transportation Department
Jason Buim	....	driver: camera/sound truck
Kevin Flynn	....	transportation captain
Jim Kelly	....	driver: grip and electric truck
Louis Lapat	....	driver: prop truck

Other crew
Michael Altman	....	set production assistant
Donna L. Bascom	....	production counsel (as Donna Bascom, Esq.)
Daniel Beers	....	assistant: American Empirical
Richard Bever	....	assistant: Andrew Lauren (as Richard Beaver)
Stacy Bissell	....	location assistant
Sandra Chwialkowska	....	set production assistant
Erich Eilenberger	....	set production assistant
Massoumeh Emami	....	script supervisor
Walter Foote	....	financial counsel: Foote And Associates (as Walter Foote, Esq.)
Michael Fucci	....	location manager
Felix Grisebach	....	set production assistant
Chelsea Horenstein	....	assistant: Peter Newman
Markus Janner	....	titles: Duart Digital
Todd Judson	....	assistant production coordinator
Sophie Kaplan	....	office production assistant
Gabriel Koplowitz	....	set production assistant
Steve Kornacki	....	production coordinator
Keith Krinsky	....	assistant location manager
Lacey Leavitt	....	assistant to producers
Thomas K. Lee	....	key set production assistant (as Tom Lee)
Martin Leicht	....	set production assistant
Patrick Mahoney	....	craft service
Cecilia Morelli	....	set production assistant
Alison Norod	....	set production assistant (as Ali Norod)
Lillian Parker	....	assistant: American Empirical
Alyson Perlongo	....	assistant: Original Media
Jill K. Perno	....	production assistant
Angel Pina	....	catering assistant (as Angelo Pina)
Carla Pisarro	....	office production assistant
Oliver Refson	....	set production assistant
Jennifer Russomanno	....	titles: Duart Digital
Deidre Schrowang	....	post-production accountant
Deidre Schrowang	....	production accountant
Adam Shakinovsky	....	set production assistant
Leanne Shapton	....	title designer
Susan Soh	....	assistant: Mr. Baumbach
Jason Stant	....	first assistant accountant (as Jason R. Stant)
Rebecca Taber	....	set production assistant
Gerald Tonnegin	....	set production assistant
Anthony Torre	....	caterer
Keith Yurevitz	....	titles: Duart Digital

Thanks
Roger Arar	....	special thanks (as Roger Arar, Esq.)
Molly Barton	....	special thanks
Jonathan Baumbach	....	special thanks
Peter Bogdanovich	....	special thanks
Georgia Brown	....	special thanks
Michael Cary	....	special thanks
Phoebe Cates	....	special thanks
Sofia Coppola	....	special thanks
Patrick Costello	....	special thanks
Maureen Duffy	....	special thanks
Laura Durning	....	special thanks
John Fundus	....	special thanks
Kevin Ginty	....	special thanks
Annette Grant	....	special thanks
Robert Greenhut	....	special thanks
Bradley M. Gross	....	special thanks (as Brad Gross)
Mike Harrop	....	special thanks (as Michael Harrop)
Bonnie Hlinomaz	....	special thanks (as Bonnie Wells-Hlinomaz)
Kevin Kline	....	special thanks
Karen Lauder	....	special thanks
Phillis Lehmer	....	special thanks
Jennifer Jason Leigh	....	special thanks
Howard Michaels	....	special thanks
John Quested	....	special thanks
Nick Quested	....	special thanks
Gunilla Ross	....	special thanks
Ben Schrank	....	special thanks
Phil Scotti	....	special thanks
Jeremy Scott	....	special thanks
Eric Shonz	....	special thanks
Sallie Slate	....	special thanks
Marion Spiegelman	....	special thanks
Tim Spitzer	....	special thanks
Fred Toczek	....	special thanks
Giovanni Tognozzi	....	special thanks: Bar Pitti (as Giovanni)
Barbara Turner	....	special thanks
Elizabeth Untiedt	....	special thanks
Thea Vokins	....	special thanks
Roger Waters	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Films (present)
• Sony Pictures International (present) (as Sony Pictures Releasing International)
• Destination Films (present)
• Original Media (presentation)
• Ambush Entertainment (presentation)
• Andrew Lauren Productions (ALP) (produced in association with) (as Andrew Lauren Productions)
• American Empirical Pictures (producer) (as American Empirical)
• Peter Newman Productions (producer) (as Peter Newman - Interal)
• InterAL (producer) (as Peter Newman - Interal)
• Seven Hills Pictures
• Squid and Whale Inc.

Distributors

• Barbar Film (2006) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Gateno Films (2006) (Peru) (theatrical)
• Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Films (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Dendy Films
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Du Art Digital (digital opticals)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as Aon / Albert G. Ruben)
• Adidas  special thanks
• Bar Pitti  special thanks
• Brooklyn College  special thanks
• Burger King Corporation  used with permission of (BURGER KING drinking glasses and trademarks) (as Burger King Brands, Inc.)
• Camera Service Center  camera and lighting equipment
• City National Bank  production bank
• Claire's  special thanks
• Clarks  special thanks
• DLT Entertainment Ltd.  courtesy of: 'Three's Company'
• DLT Entertainment Ltd.  special thanks
• Digital Jungle  online editing
• Du Art Digital  titles and digital opticals (as Duart Digital)
• Du Art Film and Video  dailies telecine (as Duart Film And Video)
• Entertainment Partners  payroll services
• Everlast Sporting Goods  special thanks (as Everlast)
• Fat Dot  publicity
• Fila  special thanks
• Film Finance  completion guarantor (as Film Finances, Inc.)
• Film Finance  special thanks (as Film Finances)
• Fire Department New York (FDNY)  special thanks (as F.D.N.Y. at Fort Totten)
• Foote & Associates  financial counsel (as Foote And Associates)
• Fossil  special thanks
• Frye Boots  special thanks (as Frye)
• Goldcrest Post Production New York  audio post services (as Goldcrest)
• Goldcrest Post Production New York  offline editorial facility (as Goldcrest)
• Gotham Sales  sales representation
• Gourmet To U  caterer
• Guess  special thanks
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• International Music Publications  courtesy of (sheet music permission)
• Jordache Jeans  special thanks (as Jordache)
• LeSportsac  special thanks (as Le Sport Sac)
• MGM Clip + Still  courtesy of: 'Blue Velvet'
• Midwood High School  special thanks
• Montauk Club, The  special thanks
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks (as Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting)
• Nike  special thanks
• North Face, The  special thanks (as Northface)
• Ocean Pacific  special thanks (as O.P.)
• P.J. Clarke's  special thanks (as P.J. Clarke's Restaurant)
• Puma  special thanks
• Residents of Park Slope, Brooklyn, The  special thanks
• Rockport Shoes  special thanks (as Rockport)
• Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, The  special thanks
• Saucony  special thanks
• T & T Casting  extras casting
• The American Museum of Natural History  special thanks
• Todtri Book Publishers  special thanks
• Urban Outfitters  special thanks
• Warner Bros. Publications  courtesy of (sheet music permission) (as Warner Bros. Publications [US] Inc.)

Also Known As:

Кальмар и кит (Russia) [ru]
A Lula e a Baleia (Brazil) [pt]
A tintahal és a bálna (Hungary) [hu]
Der Tintenfisch und der Wal (Germany) [de]
Historias de familia (Argentina) [es]
Il calamaro e la balena (Italy) [it]
Les berkman se séparent (France) [fr]
Mürekkep baligi ve balina (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Una historia de Brooklyn (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic dialogue and language.

Runtime:

81 min | Canada:88 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | UK:15 | Australia:MA | Ireland:16 | Argentina:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:14 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:Btl | Germany:12 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Japan:PG-12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Films

Trivia:

Shot in 23 days.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the middle of the movie, Walt is waiting on a subway platform. A train goes by, and you can glimpse an American flag on the side of the train. Flags decals weren't put on New York subway trains until after the terrorist attacks on the USA of 11 September 2001.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

References Short Circuit (1986)

Soundtrack:

Run to You

Literary autobiography with heartfelt humor; Daniels' career best and Oscar worthy

THE SQUID AND THE WHALE (2005) **** Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jessie Eisenberg, Owen Kline, Anna Paquin, William Baldwin.

Literary autobiography with heartfelt humor.

Filmmaker Noah Baumbach is back in fine form since his debut with the excellent "Kicking and Screaming" (a personal fave of mine; a "Diner" for the '90s) in this semi-autobiographical account of his family's dealing with his parent's divorce with bittersweet frankness and a heaping of witty humor.

The family Berkman of Park Slope, Brooklyn circa the early 1980s, consists of author/teacher Bernard (Daniels in a career high performance that deserves an Oscar nod), literary pursuant mother Joan (Linney sublimely good) and sons Walt and Frank (Eisenberg and Kline, the latter the progeny of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates making a Culkinian debut with surprising chops) aka Chicken and Pickle (their mom's nicknames). The quartet is harmonious in literary pursuits and drastic life changes when the parents agree on separating sending the boys (and ultimately themselves) into an emotional tailspin.

Bernard, a very sardonic critical yet loving man, is taking it very internally despite his sarcastic remarks about everything to his sons as a sounding board in his attempt to keep his boys together by a joint custody agreement with Joan by taking a fixer-upper brownstone across the park while he deals with the likelihood that his new book will never be published.

Joan's affairs are discovered shockingly by the boys - Walt the more avuncularly bitter lashing out and blaming her for not giving the marriage a chance reasoning that dad's lack of success has made her seek another shot a life of empty sex yet promise in her undiscovered writing talents (much to the resentment of Bernard); meanwhile budding tennis pro wannabe Frank, the youngest, begins to experiment with alcohol and masturbation.

Added to the mix is Lili (Paquin), a female writing student of Bernard's, who has a hidden agenda when Bernard invites her to share his new home as a roommate while the boys visit every other day with mixed results. Walt is attempting to begin a sexual awakening as well with his first girlfriend but is getting all the wrong comic advice from Bernard who is clueless with the opposite sex as he is also trying to have sex with Lili while burning over Joan who has hooked up with Frank's tennis instructor Ivan (a doofy Baldwin whose every other utterance is "Brother").

Achingly funny, sharply witty and skewering with some pricelessly amusing moments including the running gag of Bernard driving his kids around the neighborhood ("my space is missing!" an apt metaphor for his listless situation) and subtle touches (Bernard reading Saul Bellow's THE VICTIM and the new home decorated with posters of films like PSYCHO and THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE and using the instrumental theme of Tangerine Dream's score to "Risky Business" during Frank's sexual awakenings!) ) bring a smile if not a burst of laughter in the unease of a family's reluctant transition that will scar them forever.

Baumbach is clearly making a heartfelt valentine to his own upbringing when his parents eventually divorced during his trying teens and the affects that have rubbed off are bittersweet and universally humorous. He has a keen touch with his actors – especially Daniels, the centerpiece character, who is brilliantly funny, touching and head-shaking misanthropic at the absurdity of his situation (at one point he says glibly with a touch of melancholy, "that's my home which I used to live in…as you may know", to his son during one of their jaunts back and forth) that has echoes of his first fine role as Flap, the philandering English professor husband of the doomed Debra Winger in "Terms of Endearment", suggesting a bookend to what Flap may have become ultimately (and I'm damned if I'm not right at one point Walt is looking at his father's novel's backflap and the photo suggests a still from that film!). Bernard genuinely cares for his family but does things in such an ass-backward (and frugal) way that it is borderline heartbreaking especially his confounded loss of his status (both professionally and familially) that at one point I welled up with tears as he caressed a shelve of books while dropping Frank off with his mom. Daniels has always been one of my all-time faves and a severely underrated (and underestimated actor) it's be criminal if he didn't get an Academy Award nomination.

There are some very funny moments throughout with the brothers particularly Frank's stream of profanities in frustration at the tennis lessons (no doubt from his competitive father in several sequences) and Walt's stone-cold declaration that the musical piece he will be performing, Pink Floyd's "Hey You", was written by him as an original work!

Baumbach has crafted some fine work over the years (the aforementioned masterpiece of "Kicking & Screaming" about recent college grad buds deliberately not accepting their new status in the 'real world' by refusing to adapt and his recent collaboration with executive producer and fellow auteur Wes Anderson on last year's equally sublimely funny/sad "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou") and his latest, a blend of Salinger and Updike suggests a novella come to life and one of the year's finest comedic dramas.