Listen Up Philip | Alex Ross Perry | NYFF 2014
The literary world that Alex Ross Perry showcases in Listen Up Philip is full of characters fully into themselves, doing anything but listening to the advice of others. Our protagonist, Philip Lewis Friedman (Jason Schwartzman) acts more like an antagonist. He’s a mean-spirited, often despicable character, who is hard to root for. This idea is built up from the first two scenes, where Philip meets and ex-girlfriend and old college buddy only to insult them and burn the bridges entirely. You’re never really meant to like him, but tolerate him, just like his girlfriend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss) does.
Philip is a talented author, who is about to release his second novel. He’s ready for praise, but the New York Times is ready to pan his review, so he wants to cancel the entire press tour set up for him by his publisher in order to protect his ego. He befriends a famous author named Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce) who gives Philip advice about both literature and life. Ike is basically a future version of Philip, the type of person who calls being selfish an admirable trait.
Ike allows Philip to stay in his private home upstate so he can get some writing done in solitude. The next thing you know, Ike sets up an adjunct creative-writing position at Lambert College for him, making Philip’s vacation upstate seem more and more permanent. Philip doesn’t care too much about how Ashley feels, pretty much pushing the already rocky relationship over the edge. Unfortunately Philip doesn’t find much happiness upstate, finding himself unhappy at the college, and caught in the crossfire between Ike and his daughter Melanie (Krysten Ritter) who is also staying at Ike’s home.
Perry offers Philip, Ashley and Ike their own chapters in the film, with the story wrapping back up with Philip as the focus. The novelistic set up is tied together by book-like narration from Eric Bogosian whenever it’s called for. It all was shot in 16mm film by cinematographer Sean Price Williams, giving it an hazy vintage feeling that coincided with the old school novelist themes being portrayed.
Although none of the characters are particularly likable, it’s an interesting viewing experience. Philip and Ike are cold and cruel, but offering up enough hilarious one liners to keep us somewhat on their side. Jason Schwartzman is dangerously good in one of the best roles of the career. You’ll love him as much as you’ll hate him, and he does get on your nerves quite a bit, a sign that he did his job. There’s also some great work from Elizabeth Moss and Jonathan Pryce, who both make well use of every scene they’re given.
Listen Up Philip is often a mixed bag of emotions and feelings, but it has an oddball charm about it that strangely keeps you pulled towards its orbit. It’s worth a watch for the Schwartzman alone, who has some truly amazing deadpan comedic moments as he walks down a self-destructive path of scorched earth.
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