The Squid and the Whale

The title screams "children's animated feature, " but the subject matter is far from it. This is a tale about divorce and its ugly, emotional reprocussions. The film is a bit stranger than most as there is no central character. Each of the four main characters is portrayed in their own way, each with their quirks and flaws. In fact, none of the subjects are particularly likeable. It makes for a tense 80 minutes of cinema as we see these people writhe and make loathsome statements about each other and their perdicament. The entire this is done with an heir of dignity, though, making this a good, solid film. There have been other divorce movies, and while this may not have the staying power of the "Karmer v. Kramer"s of the world, it still stands as a well made film.

Grade = B