Margot at the Wedding

Wow, what a great movie. The new film from Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) is almost breathtaking in its intimacy and immediacy. Channeling Éric Rohmer and John Cassavetes, Baumbach uses handheld camerawork and frequently cuts in the middle of lines, creating (like his previous film) the cinematic equivalent of a moving freight train. It's a wonder to behold. Very few times in cinema are you drawn into a film completely, leaving the outside world behind, with nothing else being of any consequence other than what's up on the screen. This is one of those films.
Performances are great all around, with particular mention going to Jack Black, who rides the fine line between funnyman and dramatic character. He never crosses that line. Every bit of funny dialogue comes naturally from his character, and never feels false. Black also has a dramatic breakdown near the end of the film. Yes, you heard me right: Jack Black cries during this film. And I don't know about you, but I bought it. It worked, for me. And that's all you can really ask for.
The dialogue is amazing ("When you were a baby, I wouldn't let anyone else hold you. I think that was a mistake.") and the characters are as well-drawn as anything seen on screen in a while. And it's funny as hell. You will laugh long and hard during certain parts of this movie, and then sit mouth agape at some brilliant dramatic moment on-screen. It's one of those movies.
This is a wonderful film, possibly my new vote for best of the year. It's largely been ignored, but this is just as good - maybe even better - than The Squid and the Whale. The only thing else to say is that I'm excited to see what Baumbach will do next.