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While We’re Young, directed by Noah Baumbach
While We’re Young, directed by Noah Baumbach

While We're Young,

directed by Noah Baumbach

(R, 94 minutes)

Writer/director Noah Baumbach, who specializes in crafting intensely focused inspections of irritating people in films such as 2005's The Squid and the Whale, 2007's Margot at the Wedding and 2012's Frances Ha, has here created a funny, satirical and jarringly revealing look at what's coming for self-absorbed types headed into their 40s.

When their friends start having children, a Brooklyn couple -- documentary filmmakers Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts) -- find themselves on the outside looking in. Along with failing at their own child-bearing efforts, they find that Josh's obsession with spending eight years on a documentary that's going nowhere isn't helping their careers, let alone doing anything for their incomes.

Finding themselves at a miserably low point in their lives, the couple experience a surprising revitalization when they start having adventurous good times with self-assured, well-educated and energetic young hipsters Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried), with whom they seem to have a lot in common -- at first. But, as is often the case, things, and people, aren't as straightforward as they seem, especially when envy enters the equation.

Although more sympathetic than much of Baumbach's previous work, While We're Young is a sharply observed portrayal of the gaps between generations, and honest to the point of discomfort. The characters can be awkward and unpleasant, but that doesn't make them bad company -- especially when the wisecracking humor kicks in.

With Charles Grodin, Peter Yarrow, Adam Horovitz, Maria Dizzia.

The Gunman (R, 115 minutes) Terrific actors (Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Mark Rylance, Idris Elba, Ray Winstone) are misused in this confusing, over-complicated and violent actioner -- stuffed to the gills with unintentionally laughable dialogue -- about an often half-dressed American undercover op who is hired to knock off a Congolese mining minister, which makes him the target of bad guys from all sorts of exotic international locations. With Craig T. Nelson, Alison Brie; directed by Pierre Morel.

Get Hard (R, 100 minutes) Fans of Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart will likely guffaw at this derivative set-'em-up raunchy-joke comedy about a wrongfully convicted investment banker who, after being sentenced to a prison term, consults with the guy who washes his car in order to learn the rules and etiquette of the establishment where he's to serve his time. The rest of us, especially those who aren't all that amused by prisons and the crimes that make it necessary, might want to look elsewhere. Directed by Etan Cohen.

Danny Collins (R, 106 minutes) Yet another aging rock-star dramatic comedy (see FX's Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll starring Denis Leary, coming July 16) that's articulate with good performances, Danny Collins stars Al Pacino as the flashy title character who, like Keith Richards, hangs on to his rock 'n' roll lifestyle as the years roll on. Then his manager finds a 40-year-old undelivered letter intended for Collins that causes him to change the course of his life. With Bobby Cannavale, Michael Caine, Annette Bening, Christopher Plummer, Jennifer Garner; directed by Dan Fogelman.

Last Knights (R, 115 minutes) Clive Owen stars in this uninspired and far too serious medieval sword-clashing fantasy about an honorable warrior named Raiden who schemes to overthrow cruel ruler Gezz Mott (Aksel Hennie) in defense of his disgraced master, Bartok (Morgan Freeman, the most appealing character, whose disappearance from the set leaves a notable void). With Shohreh Aghdashloo; directed by Kazuaki Kiriya.

MovieStyle on 07/03/2015

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