Spitball Army

watched Jan 04, 2018
spitballarmy’s review published on Letterboxd:

9.1
[blu-ray, Netflix]

I found practically everything about this to be note-perfect, from the relentless self-examination of the main character, to the clear-eyed portrayal of head-on idealism among college students, the duelling side effects of privilege (while it may get you the best table in a restaurant, it can rob your soul of empathy), and the tentative scratchy violin creeping through the film’s score. I’ve seen most of Mike White’s films, but none have had the fine balance of human comedy (without big laughs) and the pathos of adult pain quite like this. Above all, beautifully written, but Ben Stiller, who I haven’t previously allowed due credit to as an actor, gives what may be a career-best performance.