The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)

Directed by Noah Baumbach

It’s okay to laugh. Estranged siblings gather together in New York for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father, Harold Meyerowitz. 

Letterboxd Rating: ✰✰✰ ½ /5 

Letterboxd Statistics: Weighted average of 3.74 stars based on 154,375 ratings. 

Starring: Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, and Grace Van Patten

I first watched The Meyerowitz Stories when I went on an Adam Sandler movie marathon a couple years ago, and I really enjoyed it. It is one of Sandler’s more serious roles, he is still funny in this nonetheless, but this is not a raunchy comedy like some of his other works. After recently rewatching it, I decided that I should write about it because of how natural Noah Baumbach made it feel. Here is my review: 

The Meyerowitz Stories is a sharp, witty, and quietly painful family comedy about siblings Danny, Matthew, and Jean orbiting the ego of their aging father. This movie gives the audience a look at how children carry the emotional weight of their parents long into adulthood. The cinematography is simple and observant, staying close to the characters whether in an apartment, hospital, or city streets. It captures real-life sequences, spontaneous or messy, and these visuals embrace lived-in spaces and imperfect moments. The energy of the cinematography is subtle but also displays a sense of emotional instability within the family. The theme of subtlety plays in the film’s score, which mostly allows for the dialogue and performances to lead the way. When music does emerge, it often feels reflective, showcasing emotional distance and the importance of memory. With the central themes being favoritism and parental validation, The Meyerowitz Stories understands that family wounds often persist underneath the surface. Danny, Matthew, and Jean respond differently to their father’s narcissism and inconsistency, and through how they respond the audience can begin to relate to either one of them or all of them. The siblings must come together for their father, who is all over the place most of the time, and come up with a solution on how to move forward his artistic legacy. It is made clear that Harold Meyerowitz wants to have a legacy of sorts, but Baumbach lets the viewer decide if he ultimately wants a public or private legacy. 

The Meyerowitz Stories house scenes that are painfully relatable in terms of being a part of a family: interruptions, resentments, second-hand embarrassment, and people talking past one another is what makes this feel so realistic. This has the potential to resonate with viewers, especially those familiar with complicated family dynamics. It also captures the difficulty that comes with seeing your parents' age, and recognizing that some may never get the validation they so desperately need from their parents. After rewatching this film, it has only made me more appreciative of the creative writing and awkwardness associated with it. This film is so real. The cast in this film is also another huge plus, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, and Dustin Hoffman all together, it is pretty hard to mess that up. “The movie has its own language and rhythm from the beginning, it’s almost like you are jumping into the middle of these people’s lives.” (Ben Stiller, AP Archive) I really like this movie and think everyone should watch it. 

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