The Squid and the Whale

The Squid and the Whale (2005) starring Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline, Anna Paquin. A couple (Daniels and Linney) splits up, leaving their sons (Eisenberg and Kline) with divided loyalties and confused about the breakup. The wife, Joan, is a rising star in the literary world, while the husband, Bernard's fame seems to be in the past. Every word of the script rings true as the boys struggle with being boys while trying to deal with their parents' separation. At the same time, the parents' quarreling dialogue always seems spot on. Daniels especially plays a very convincing consummate jerk. The subtitles are good, closed captions even better. Grade: A