Review: Listen Up Philip

18th March 2015

Listen Up Philip – you’re a narcisstic, self indulgent human devoid of empathy yet you’re acerbic humour and unshakeable self-confidence make you a delight to watch for most of the 108 minutes.

The film centres on Philip Lewis Friendman played in usual deadpan manner by Jason Schwartzman who is awaiting publication of his second novel. His relationship with his photographer girlfriend is rapidly going downhill and even his publisher is exasperated with him and his hubris and own self importance. He takes refuge in the summer house of his literary idol Ike Zimmermann (played by Jonathan Pyrce in excellent form). Philip starts to consider isolation, idolisation and his own greatness.

Listen Up Philip is the third feature film to be written and directed by Alex Ross Perry. Whilst the director says his motivation was to make films that portray the New York life that he knows and “to make a film that spoke to the brutality of the city, to the painful conflict that comes from living in a highly competitive and anxiety inducing place.” From the opening credits and the narration (Eric Bogosian) it has the feel of a Woody Allen film and the director and director of photography state that they loved Woody Allen’s films and in particular Husbands and Wives. This film feels like a homage despite the blisteringly funny dialogue. The first 45 minutes are really intelligent, laugh out loud funny. However, rather than keep that indifference the film became too self aware, introspective and was stifled like cold air in a hot sticky apartment in a New York City summer without air conditioning. Having said all that Eric Bogosian’s wonderful, humorous and ironic narration as well as Elizabeth Moss playing Ashley Kane, Philip’s girlfriend, kept me engaged and when neither of them were present I felt my attention waning.

Listen Up Philip will be released in cinemas in UK and Ireland from 5 June 2015. If you are a fan of Jason Schwartzman and think Woody Allen early films with narration excite you then go and watch Listen Up Philip, if not then avoid.

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