The Squid and the Whale (2005) – 4.5/5

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

A fairly painful, awkward, uncomfortable and powerful movie. Dense, to use a word from the movie.

The opening scene tells most of the story of this movie, but you don’t know it quite yet.

SPOILERS

The dad is a fairly lame, fake “man” who is riding on his egotism and judgment of others despite not being able to be honest w/ himself or those around him. The mother isn’t much better. The oldest son clearly mimics the dad and thinks dangerously to high of himself (“I think I cd have written it so the fact that it was already written is just a technicality.”).

One of the best scenes is the older son’s visit to the psychologist – his description of his time w/ his mom when he was young was just amazing. So vivid and powerful and touching.

So what or who are the squid and the whale? I think it might be his parents. They are fighting and are caught in an inescapable grapple where no one ever stops or wins. It might also be a symbol of fears in life. When he was a kid, he cdn’t look at the squid and the whale except for through his fingers.

At the end, he forces himself to face his fears, to face reality. To grow up and face himself.

Haiku Summary
Two kids, parents split.
All kinds of dysfunction here.
No one wins. Hey, You.