Noah Baumbach’s ‘Kicking And Screaming’ — An Existential Gen-Z Film About Nothing And Everything
Grappling with more prominent and significant themes of searching for one’s identity has always been a topic of interest to me. So, after watching Noah Baumbach’s screenwriting and directorial 1995 debut Kicking and Screaming, it instantly reminded me of the 1994 indie movie Reality Bites, one of my favorites — another film featuring Gen-Z post-grads figuring (or not figuring) out their lives.
It’s interesting to note that although these films came out one year apart, they are essentially about the same thing (both are a bit different in their own respective, unique ways). Baumbach’s sparkling debut with tinges of existentialism is packed with endlessly quotable lines, boasting a remarkably talented cast with impeccable comedic timing and line delivery.
The protagonist, Grover (Josh Hamilton), is mourning the absence of his girlfriend Jane (Olivia d’Abo), who left to roam the streets of Prague. Grover’s flashbacks of the few times he and Jane encountered each other are interwoven into the film, as well as other moments that made an unforgettable impression on him. Their relationship is sweet, touching, and funny — a tremendous example of Baumbach’s brilliant and truthful writing. Their undeniable connection is something that Grover doesn’t want to let slip through his fingers.
Four months later, each character is floating in a post-graduate existence, refusing to accept the fact that their academic pursuits are over. It’s time to grow up and move on; an inescapable and looming reality that they all consciously choose to ignore. They hang around campus, attend classes, and yearn for the fleetingly precious nature of their scholastic, party-fueled golden years. In one scene, Max (Christopher Enigman) even admits to his friends: “I’m too nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday.”
Otis (Carlos Jacott) and Skippy (Jason Wiles) have their own problems. Otis lands a second interview at Video Planet (“You need a second interview at Video Planet?”), and Skippy discovers that Miami (Parker Posey) cheated on him with Max.
Eric Stoltz is Chet, an older man who is also reliving his time at college, and serves as the group’s philosopher and mentor (particularly to Grover). Chet bartends at a local college bar that the guys continue to frequent. His sage advice and almost fatherly-like persona is the perfect contribution to the group’s otherwise dim-witted and goofy behavior. Chet has soaked up everything he possibly could and is content with his life because this is the path that he chose.
Max, Grover, Otis, and Skippy aren’t inherently likeable characters. In fact, they come off as juvenile and rather aloof, and their views of women are degrading. Despite these qualities, they somehow manage to still be redeeming and charming in their own respects (granted, they are ineffably human 20-something males and Baumbach was only 26 when he made this movie so it’s not too far off). They are quite horrible human beings (especially to each other), but that’s friendship. Each of them has an unspoken understanding and bond, even though it likely won’t last forever.
The genius of Baumbach’s screenplay is that every character comes out from the page to the screen in such a raw way that it feels as if they are actual people experiencing hard times and learning hard truths. They are as scared, sad, confused, bored, indifferent, and anticipatory as any of us were at their ages.
While Baumbach’s film is far from polished and certainly feels like a first-time directorial debut, its imperfections are what makes it special and separate from other coming-of-age movies of the same ilk.
Even when nothing seems as if it’s happening in life, time still moves forward. It always will. The future’s uncertainty is inevitable, but that’s strangely comforting and beautiful.
