One movie I was curious about was Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young (2014). I finally got the time and chance to see the movie last month, and it was a pleasant experience. The cast was good; Ben Stiller as the lead (Josh), the idealist documentary filmmaker who seem to have trouble finishing his latest project, Naomi Watts as his wife, Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried. Josh and his wife, Cornelia, who is a film producer for her famous father’s films, meets Jamie (Adam Driver), a young hipster filmmaker and wife, Darby (Seyfried) and their life suddenly changed to more dynamic and perhaps too much of a rush.
Maybe you can see what the movie is all about through the lessons I got from it :
1. Trying new things can be good, if you are feeling stuck with your old routine. This can be meeting new people and trying their hobbies, go to their invitations and events. In this movie, Josh and Cornelia felt re-energized by letting Jamie and Darby in their lives. Their positive personality and young minds can be a good way to see new perspectives.
2. But trying too much at once can be too much. Especially, when you are more of a calm and conservative types. Not necessarily old at age, but more of habits and lifestyle. Not all new things are digest-able. As long as it still in line with your roots. Josh and Cornelia might love the new ‘them’ after meeting Jamie and Darby, but this couple also have limits of fields they can change. This is linked to their life values and personality.
3. Technology might invent something far more practical and futuristic. But perhaps today’s youngsters are more curious with older times considering they are born with all these technology. They go for something more retro and classic, by into vinyl, analog camera, the DIY movements and doing the ‘real time’ Facebook like Jamie did, visiting his own friend’s house after his friend added him in FB. It is understandable, but they create technology for a reason.
4. Being an artist can develop its own ego. And this ego is about idealism, that others can’t or can bend. Ego might be good since you guard your own character and won’t let anyone else influence you. But at the same time, because it tends to build walls around, it also prevents you from goodness that might be going your way. For Josh, he seems to have this purist soul which makes him wants to be a documentary filmmaker. But he won’t let himself being the shadow of his own father-in-law which is a well-known director. Therefore he gets sensitive when his father-in-law critics his work or whenever Cornelia, his wife, offers help for his work. Things can be very simple or very complicated from your own view.
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5. The old saying about ‘acting your own age’ can be though, personally, because for Josh and Cornelia who gave up the idea of being parents after several miscarriages. They need new exciting things to go on and they have the right to do what they can do, while they can do it. Josh and Cornelia used to have other couple they used to hang out with, but they seem to go separate ways especially after the couple have a newborn baby. And, after Josh and Cornelia seem to be much more into new things they thought absurd. This doesn’t mean they can’t be friends anymore, just need more understanding with each other.
6. Nothing is a coincidence. Some people might seem like they are too lucky, or too much of having good things on their way. This can be how universe get back at their good deeds, or they are actually working hard for their ‘lucky-ness’ before. Or, like Jamie did, he made it appear as it he got it all right.
7. The biggest concept I learned from this movie was, before we are old and wise, we used to be young, careless and perhaps as ambitious as Jamie that you would do anything just to be what you want to be. I don’t think it’s all about young or old though, I think it’s about character and sometimes growth, and depending on your own values. When I was in college, I was thought to be innovators and to lay great concepts. But to go there, there are million ways. The right ways is always about hard work and lots of failures before. But some people just go for shortcuts. But, shortcuts has its own minors. Perhaps you didn’t realize it, but if you do, you might be careless.
** What it doesn’t taught me (because I already know) was about today’s entertainment world, which is about ‘creating’ reality which has never been real at all. It was all set and estimated before it was produced, so it would look like reality. It clearly tells about today’s reality show, looks real but it’s already set and edit to look as much as they wanted it to be. I love how this movie satirized that, so I think this movie could be good for you who work in entertainment and media.
Aside all of that, I also though the movie provides smart comedy and all the proper amount of drama. Love it!
Score :
