i will go a head and warn my review contain spoiler so if you haven not see the film i then read at your own risk . i go into the squid and the whale excite but realistic about my expectation for the film . i be impress by jesse eisenberg in roger dodger and have always respect jeff daniel and laura linney and with noah baumbach helm i figure the movie be in capable hand . however i do fear that after view the trailer that i have already see the best squid have to offer . in some way i be right . firstly it deserve praise for it portrayal of adolescent male . i find a lot of truth in frank character . the scene in which he study himself in the mirror remind me greatly of the same self absorb and curious quality i have at that stage in my life . however baumbach play some of frank sexual exploit and dirty language in a exploitive manner . the way he be portray make his character too much of a tool to shock the audience . in fact many scene depict sexuality seem throw in . the line be bernard say to lili and put me in your mouth be petty and do little to reinforce any character trait that weren not already glaringly clear . i have no problem with risqué dialog or scene that show character in a despicable light . however that scene in particular seem hollow . bernard or lili be not develop enough for me to really care that he would say something so rude to her . i already get that he be a self absorb and loathing character . if baumbach have use that line to trigger a strong response in any of the three character involve it would have felt natural . instead we see nothing of lili after and walt do not meditate very long after hear something so low come from his father mouth . i understand bernard be a jerk and and use similar language around walt . but still and it be far harsh then anything he utter before or after . yet no one seem to really notice . i could see how combine with the final argument and bernard self absorb line in the hospital it could justify walt to see his parent in a clearer light . yet baumbach let the moment pas to quickly miss what could have be a strong beat . which bring me to my main problem with the film . baumbach pace never let the audience into the character head . he throw thing at you and the character so fast that neither you nor they seem to have the time to let the emotion sink in . the number one thing that trouble me however be the end . i understand that walt mention he could never look at the squid and the whale fighting but come on . to have him go and look at a giant squid and the whale fight a a way to end the movie . please and not only do i always question movie that use the title a a line in the film that be really important to the story but to have something a petty and unemotional a a character look at a science sculpture . if it have be well shoot it may have work and however i do not even have the time to let the emotion of the scene sink in before i be slam with a big title card . honestly i felt i be watch an unfinished film and that the editor do not know what to do so they just put a title card to let the audience know yes that be all folk . one other thing i find useless be the gag although no one laugh where joan come out of the bathroom and the walt say something about the nasty smell . why include this . be it funny . no . be it important to the story and scene and or character . no . all it do be leave a foul taste in my mouth for no reason . still for as much a i have say what do not work squid do have some good thing go for it . i would like to thank the whole crew for make a film about people and human relationship in a time when so many movie seem to be about nothing more then eye candy . also big prop to all the actor for fine performance . squid and the whale be a much strong film then most and which be why i be so disappointed that it couldn not rise above it problem to be something truly special .