--- title: "The Squid and the Whale" year: 2005 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-squid-and-the-whale" fi1m_id: "the-squid-and-the-whale" imdb_id: "tt0367089" tmdb_id: 10707 wikidata_id: "Q1197427" fi1m_score: 83 critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 8 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:45.432625+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Squid and the Whale (2005) Directed by Noah Baumbach · 1h 21m · MPA R · Comedy, Drama ## Identity The Squid and the Whale - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-squid-and-the-whale - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-squid-and-the-whale - **IMDb ID:** tt0367089 - **TMDB ID:** 10707 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1197427 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367089/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/10707, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1197427 **Fi1m score: 83** · Critics 82 from 8 reviews *In a sentence:* Being stuck between divorcing parents is bad enough without having to admire their vocabulary > Noah Baumbach’s divorce comedy is painfully funny and alert to what children absorb from unhappy parents. Jeff Daniels makes an appalling father recognisably needy, though the film gives him more attention than anyone else. ## Synopsis Bernard Berkman (Jeff Daniels) and Bernard Berkman (Laura Linney) are writers whose marriage is breaking up in 1980s Brooklyn. Their separation draws their sons, Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) and Frank (Owen Kline), into disputes over loyalty and custody. As the parents struggle with their own disappointments, the boys try to work out what to think of them and how to behave towards each other. Bernard’s self-regard complicates his attempts at fatherhood, while the children’s distress takes different forms. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, the film follows a family trying to adjust to divorce without knowing how to leave one another alone. ## Review *The Squid and the Whale* is a sharply funny, painful divorce comedy that gives its most overbearing character a little too much attention. Noah Baumbach is interested in what happens when children have to judge parents whose opinions they have been relying on. He makes the humiliations funny without suggesting that anyone will simply laugh them off. Bernard and Bernard Berkman are writers separating in 1980s Brooklyn; their sons Walt and Frank are caught between them. Jeff Daniels gives Bernard the exhausting certainty of a man who thinks being articulate makes him right. Daniels lets the pomposity run unchecked, while making the need for approval uncomfortably clear. We laughed at the family tennis match, then felt uneasy about how readily the adults made the children part of their competition. Baumbach’s writing is particularly good at letting a parent’s self-justification sound reasonable until we consider who is being asked to listen. Jesse Eisenberg’s Walt and Owen Kline’s Frank make the consequences of that behaviour difficult to dismiss. Eisenberg gives Walt the eagerness of someone trying to sound grown-up before he has worked out what he thinks. Kline is less guarded, and the younger boy’s distress makes some of the comedy difficult to sit with. Baumbach allows both boys to be unpleasant, giving the actors more to do than look wounded while the adults talk. Laura Linney gives Joan enough impatience and hurt to prevent her becoming the sensible parent supplied to offset Bernard. We wanted more time with her, though, and more room for the family to exist beyond his demands. Daniels is so commanding that the writing’s repeated attention to Bernard can start to feel indulgent, even when the joke is against him. The film’s brevity makes that imbalance more noticeable, since everyone has to establish themselves quickly. Robert D. Yeoman’s cinematography suits the family’s awkward exchanges: the images feel close to the people, and the photography never makes their misery look precious. Anne Ross’s production design keeps the family’s surroundings ordinary, which makes Bernard’s grand opinion of himself funnier. The music credited to Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips leaves the embarrassment intact. Its restraint helps the sadder passages without insisting that we forgive anyone. Tim Streeto’s editing keeps the quarrels brisk. At 81 minutes, the film has little room to repeat a quarrel simply because another good insult has occurred to the writer. The cuts keep comedy and discomfort close together, so a laugh seldom provides much relief. Baumbach and Streeto make the boys’ predicament felt without allowing the adults unlimited time to explain themselves. Family-breakdown dramas can become awfully keen to demonstrate that everyone has a point. Baumbach lets these people be wrong, and still makes their unhappiness matter. We do not need to share Bernard’s opinion of himself to recognise his fear of becoming unimportant, or approve of the boys to care about them. That sympathy keeps the jokes from becoming a series of punishments. Do not choose it to settle an argument. *Fi1m score 83, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to The Squid and the Whale, praising the painful comedy of its family break-up and Baumbach’s precise observation of parental vanity, adolescent confusion and shame. The reviews repeatedly credit the writing with finding humour in cruel behaviour without losing sympathy for the children caught in it. Praise also clusters around the performances, particularly Jeff Daniels as the pompous, self-regarding father, and the balance between embarrassment and sadness. The disagreement concerns how long that discomfort remains revealing. Eye for Film admires the wit and acting but finds the story static after its economical opening, with too little development or surprise. The Evening Standard has a sharper objection: the parents’ rudeness stops being funny, and their behaviour makes them difficult to accept as fully human. These reservations sit apart from a broadly favourable consensus that finds empathy and emotional honesty in the family’s ugliness. ## Straight answers **Is The Squid and the Whale worth watching?** *The Squid and the Whale* is worth watching for anyone who can take a divorce comedy whose jokes leave a bruise, and we scored it 83. Jeff Daniels is superb as a pompous, needy father, though the film gives him more room than the rest of the family, and Laura Linney's Joan deserved more of it. **How long is The Squid and the Whale, and what is it rated?** *The Squid and the Whale* runs 1h 21m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and drama film. **Where can I watch The Squid and the Whale in the US?** *The Squid and the Whale* is streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is The Squid and the Whale, and is it suitable for children?** *The Squid and the Whale* is not violent or frightening, but its UK 15 certificate marks it as adult material, and it is not for children. The discomfort comes from watching two boys pulled into their parents' quarrels; the younger son's distress is hard to sit with, and the humiliations are meant to sting rather than to shock. **How does The Squid and the Whale compare to A Separation?** *The Squid and the Whale* is a brisk, sharp comedy about a Brooklyn divorce, while [*A Separation*](https://film.one/film/a-separation) is a gripping and upsetting drama about a marriage ending in Iran. Both watch children living with adults' competing accounts of themselves. Farhadi's film is the stronger and the fairer to everyone involved; Baumbach's is funnier and shorter, but leans too heavily on one character. **What should I watch after The Squid and the Whale?** After *The Squid and the Whale*, try [*A Separation*](https://film.one/film/a-separation) (2011, Fi1m 93): Another separation in which children must live with the adults’ competing accounts of themselves. Then [*Kramer vs. Kramer*](https://film.one/film/kramer-vs-kramer) (1979, Fi1m 82): The practical mess of divorce, with more patience for a father’s education; and [*The 400 Blows*](https://film.one/film/the-400-blows) (1959, Fi1m 91): A neglected boy’s bad behaviour receives the attention his parents cannot spare. ### Reviews we read (13) - **The New Yorker**, David Denby (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the film as a ruthless yet heartbreaking satirical comedy and a small miracle, commending its accurate depiction of educated parents projecting anxieties onto their children and the boys' conflicted responses. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/10/24/family-matters-7) - **Sight and Sound**, Edward Lawrenson (85/100, inferred): The critic finds Baumbach's treatment of adolescent children caught in their parents' separation both humorous and empathetic, with a note-perfect 1980s soundtrack. The film is praised for its naturalistic, matter-of-fact approach to family break-up and strong performances, especially Jeff Daniels as the pompous father. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/3167) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Baumbach's sharply comical and piercingly sad portrait of a collapsing Brooklyn family during a divorce, noting its precise observation of flawed characters without mercy or sentimentality. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/movies/growing-up-bohemian-and-absurd-in-brooklyn.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Carina Chocano (80/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a painfully funny semiautobiographical coming-of-age story, highlighting Baumbach's empathy and understanding in capturing the brutal honesty of family dynamics during divorce. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-oct-16-ca-chocano16-story.html) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): The critic finds it an exquisitely painful, root-canal-jabbingly uncomfortable black comedy about divorce, based on the director's parents' breakup. They single out the authentic feeling of real-life messiness, humiliation and shame, supercharged with fictional black comedy, along with the wonderful performances, especially Jeff Daniels as the monstrous novelist. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/apr/07/2) - **Time Out**, Jessica Winter (80/100, inferred): The review calls the film a rueful, plangent remembrance of divorce leavened by spry verbal wit and artful brevity, highlighting its comedy of embarrassment and shame. It singles out the superb cast, particularly Jeff Daniels as the diminished, self-regarding father, and Baumbach's skill in balancing farce and tragedy. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-squid-and-the-whale) - **Empire**, Adam Smith: The film is an acutely observed, painful, funny and merciless account of a middle-class Manhattan couple's divorce and its effects on their two sons. It particularly highlights Jeff Daniels' astonishing, career-best performance as the arrogant, ego-driven father. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/squid-whale-review/) - **Evening Standard** (***): Based on the director's childhood, the story depicts two New York writers in the 1980s locked in combat during divorce, with their sons becoming hostile and distressed. The fun in the parents' rudeness and inappropriate frankness soon palls, as the couple fails the test of remaining human. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/dvd-reviews-squids-in-7387821.html) - **IndieWire**, Indiewire: The piece presents Baumbach's semi-autobiographical film as a sharp examination of a disintegrating intellectual family in 1980s Brooklyn. It notes the blend of humor and pain in the custody battles and identity struggles. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/noahs-arc-noah-baumbachs-the-squid-and-the-whale-77870/) - **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager: The critic highlights the film's empathetic, non-judgmental take on a divorcing family's flaws and the damage to the children. Kline's raw, scene-stealing performance as the younger son is singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-squid-and-the-whale/) - **The AV Club**, Nathan Rabin: The review calls the film a raw, honest, and unflinching comedy-drama about a family breakup that maintains authenticity and emotional resonance. It praises the empathetic writing that finds affection for flawed, pretentious characters. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-squid-and-the-whale-1798308362) - **Paste**, Keenan Mayo (90/100, inferred): The film is an achingly honest and autobiographical portrait of a Brooklyn family's divorce and its impact on the children, standing as the definitive divorce movie. Baumbach uses a tennis match metaphor and sharp observations of the characters' behaviors to capture the mix of humor, sadness, and emotional wounds. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-squid-and-the-whale) - **Eye for Film**, Anton Bitel (60/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a finely observed portrait of family foibles and marital breakdown, full of subtlety, wit, and strong performances (especially Jeff Daniels and Jesse Eisenberg), but notes that it becomes static after an economical opening scene, with little narrative surprise or development. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-squid-and-the-whale-film-review-by-anton-bitel) ## Details - **Director:** Noah Baumbach - **Director:** Noah Baumbach - **Writer:** Noah Baumbach - **Cinematography:** Robert Yeoman - **Editor:** Tim Streeto - **Music:** Britta Phillips, Dean Wareham - **Production design:** Anne Ross - **Costume design:** Amy Westcott - **Producer:** Charlie Corwin, Clara Markowicz, Peter Newman - **Cast:** Jeff Daniels as Bernard Berkman; Laura Linney as Joan Berkman; Jesse Eisenberg as Walt Berkman; Owen Kline as Frank Berkman; William Baldwin as Ivan; Halley Feiffer as Sophie Greenberg; Anna Paquin as Lili; David Benger as Carl - **Runtime:** 1h 21m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 5 October 2005 - **Genres:** Comedy, Drama - **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2005) - **Budget:** $2 million - **Box office:** $11 million ## Where to watch in the US - Netflix: streaming - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-15.* Also available in: CA, CL, CZ, ES, GB, RO, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2006: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated) - Sundance U.S. Directing Award: Dramatic 2005: Sundance U.S. Directing Award: Dramatic (won) - The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award 2005: The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award (won) ## If you liked this - *A Separation* (2011), Fi1m 93: Another separation in which children must live with the adults’ competing accounts of themselves. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-separation.md) - *Kramer vs. Kramer* (1979), Fi1m 82: The practical mess of divorce, with more patience for a father’s education. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kramer-vs-kramer.md) - *The 400 Blows* (1959), Fi1m 91: A neglected boy’s bad behaviour receives the attention his parents cannot spare. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-400-blows.md) - *After the Storm* (2016): A disappointed writer tries to remain a father despite his talent for excuses. - *Secrets & Lies* (1996), Fi1m 88: Family grievances and uncomfortable laughter, with more room for people to change their minds. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/secrets-and-lies.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-squid-and-the-whale