Sundance 2014's LISTEN UP PHILIP is Smart and Witty

Sundance 2014’s LISTEN UP PHILIP is Smart and Witty [REVIEW]

22 Feb, 2014

Article by Cindy Maram

‘Listen Up Philip,’ writer/director Alex Ross Perry’s third feature is injected with sharp wit, cynical humor and delves deeply into the artistic, emotional and cerebral lives of its characters. It was hugely influenced by the novel The Recognitions by William Gaddis, but can be equally accredited to Ross’ experience while traveling the film festival circuit for his film ‘The Color Wheel.’ While he was on the festival circuit, he went through a period where he lost touch with many relationships and people in New York, which is exemplified by the loss of connection between the film’s characters. In the novel The Recognitions, the main character is introduced and then disappears for about 700 pages. This largely influenced the organization of ‘Listen Up Philip’ in which the main character has scenes for the first 32 minutes and at the 33 minute mark, disappears for about 45 minutes. This time is filled with the lives and thoughts of the other supporting characters. When initially reviewing the script, Jason Schwartzman was very attracted to this structure and immediately became interested in the role. Although the film was influenced by this novel, Ross also wanted to make a film that expressed his experience living in New York. He desired to make a film that had not been made previously, that was shot in New York and spoke to his experiences.

View our red carpet photos from the Sundance world premiere of ‘Listen Up Philip!’

‘Listen Up Philip’ centers on a newly successful novelist, Philip, played by Jason Schwartzman who becomes increasingly distanced from his girlfriend, Elisabeth Moss and social circle when a friendship emerges with Ike, played by Jonathan Pryce, a distinguished, established older man who becomes Phillip’s mentor. As I watched the film, I felt that the structure of the film in terms of Ross’ use of a narrator and the stream of consciousness dialogue expressed by each character was absolutely genius. The script was extremely intelligent and demonstrated sharp wit that was perfectly delivered. At times it brought me back to thoughts of my own life and feelings of being in difficult relationships. Jason Schwartzman’s character possessed a sharp tongue but was also comedic and charming. Director Alex Ross Perry allows the viewer to enter into the deep analytical mental and turbulent emotional lives of his characters. Never before have I sat through a film both smiling and disturbed by the feelings expressed by the characters in the film. I wholehearted enjoyed ‘Listen Up Philip’ and loved how charming each of the scenes were.

Near the beginning of the film, Philip goes around basically breaking up his close relationships by giving each person a “piece of his mind” at public meeting places like cafes and bars. Later, we get more intimate with the main character, Philip, and enter into his personal home life, career and his old and new relationships. Ike, Jason’s mentor, is wealthy and established. He is a well-known author and professor that is semi-retired. He invites Philip to his country house to help him de-stress from life in New York City, as well as gives him a teaching job at his old university. Phillip wholeheartedly accepts and moves away from his serious long-term girlfriend, Peggy, played by Golden Globe Winner, Elisabeth Moss. Peggy is in love with Philip, but eventually gets fed up with his infidelity, crossness, and selfishness. Philip is only concerned about himself and his needs.  And he continually lets everyone that he comes across know that. Although he is so blunt and careless with his words he still desires close relationships with women. However, they all seem to hate and love him at the same time as he is a very charming man. While he is away teaching, he meets a foreign woman from France played by Josephine de La Baume, that ironically teaches English at the university. At first, she is jealous of him for his higher teaching status and tries to ruin his reputation. But he eventually charms her and she becomes his second, on-the-side girlfriend.

The question one has as the film and Schwartzman’s character develops is…Does Phillip learn from his relational mistakes? Well, he seems to have feelings and we can see that through his train of thought and his actions, which time and time again take him back home to New York in an attempt to reconcile with his steady girlfriend, Moss. But he seems to be unaware of the disastrous consequences of his selfish words and actions. He is so accustomed to getting what he wants that he is in shock when women decide not to give in to him and instead, respect themselves, leaving him alone and lonely.

Alex Ross Perry uses his characters and the dialogue between them to represent a part of all of us. Although we, as human beings with feelings, some more sensitive than others, strive to be loving, sensitive, positive, and selfless in our relationships, we cannot always attain perfection. One of the things that ‘Listen Up Philip’ conveys to its audience is that no one is perfect. We may want love and intimacy in our relationships, but without sacrificing some of our own needs, our relationships would be bound for destruction. Also, it is clear that Phillp should hold back from expressing his thoughts and feelings as he is constantly revealing himself as a total egoist and all around jerk. But at the same time, it is humorous and somewhat therapeutic for the viewer to watch and listen to him, as he says everything that most of us would never dare to say.

‘Listen Up Philip’ is smart, witty, sharp, funny, and charming. Alex Ross Perry does a fantastic job of presenting the experiences of artists living in New York along with themes of love, selfishness, self-destruction, egoism, ambition and relational troubles. And he does so in a way that invites the viewer into the minds and emotional lives of his characters, communicating the notion that we cannot be driven my our own selfishness and ego if we desire to have less enemies and instead foster enduring relationships.

About the author

Cindy Maram

Cindy Maram is a Dancer, Public Speaker and our Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the entertainment, fashion and arts publication, Dig IN Magazine. She is an accredited film critic for Cannes Film Festival in the South of France, Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, SFFilm Festival and CAAMFest, as well as a runway fashion photographer and editor for London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. She also serves as a professional sports photographer and writer. She is a prolific art critic providing media coverage for Art Basel Miami Beach and surrounding Miami Art Week fairs. As a creator, Cindy is a writer, vlogger, podcaster, social media strategist and manager possessing a Bachelor's Degree from UC Davis and Master's Degree completing graduate work in Mass Communications + Popular Culture Studies with an emphasis in Film/Marketing/Writing from Cal State Fullerton. Further, she is producer of independent feature length and short films, and is committed to supporting the visibility of underrepresented groups in the media and film industry.

Related Posts