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WES ANDERSON meets Woody Allen in this hilariously acerbic and idiosyncratic comedy about a narcissistic New York writer.
Jason Schwartzman, who’s carved out a career playing a range of weirdos, is the angry and negative Philip who feels threatened and resentful of his more commercially successful photographer girlfriend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss). He’s awaiting the publication of his second novel and, believing New York to be too noisy and crowded, jumps at the chance of spending the summer at the holiday home of his idol, renowned author Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce). An older alter ego, he’s just as obnoxious, pompous and as self-involved as Philip.
Schwartzman is sublime as the odious young writer, delivering a script laced with razor-sharp and witty barbs with comic aplomb.
The use of a narrator (Eric Bogosian) to point out Philip’s evident shortcomings is a fun gimmick which gleefully punctures the pretentiousness of the literary world.
Writer-director Perry’s deliciously dark comedy is punctuated by rapid-fire dialogue, delivered to perfection by his exceptional cast.
Though at times a little too clever by half, Listen Up Philip is even so an entertaining comedy gem.
