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Trailer

The Squid and the Whale

2005Movie1 h 21 minR

ComedyDrama
80
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.3Metacritic827.7Rotten Tomatoes91%81%

A melancholic, nostalgic comedy movie about family and history, with standout characters.

Good for date night · friends night · teens

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Not for scares or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Joint custody blows.

Based on the true childhood experiences of Noah Baumbach and his brother, The Squid and the Whale tells the touching story of two young boys dealing with their parents' divorce in Brooklyn in the 1980s.

Feels like

  • Indie Drama
  • Divorce
  • Family Dynamics
  • 1980s Brooklyn
  • Coming-of-Age
  • Melancholy
  • Intellectual
  • Character-Driven

Cast

23 of 23

Crew

Directed by
Noah Baumbach
Written by
Noah Baumbach
Produced by
Wes Anderson, Peter Newman, Charlie Corwin
Music by
Dean Wareham, Britta Phillips

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

October 5, 2005 · 1 h 21 min · R

Released
October 5, 2005
Runtime
1 h 21 min
Age rating
R
Content
Strong Language
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$2 million
Box office
$11 million
Available in
71 countries

Tropes

Sir Swears-a-Lot, Broken Pedestal, Parents as People +9

  • Sir Swears-a-Lot
  • Broken Pedestal
  • Parents as People
  • Speed Sex
  • Affectionate Nickname
  • Troubling Unchildlike Behavior
  • Writers Are Writers
  • Central Theme
  • Good Adultery, Bad Adultery
  • Male Gaze
  • Never Trust a Title
  • Plagiarism in Fiction

12 of 30 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream The Squid and the Whale?"

Questions about The Squid and the Whale

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Squid and the Whale?

Sony Pictures Core

In the United States, The Squid and the Whale streams on Sony Pictures Core. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 4 other countries.

Is The Squid and the Whale worth watching?

80
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 80 (IMDb 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes 91%, and Metacritic 82). Critics rate it higher (87 out of 100) than audiences (77).

Will The Squid and the Whale make me laugh?

Light

Now and then: the humor is mostly sharp wit (6 of 10).

Is The Squid and the Whale plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and dialogue centrality (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was The Squid and the Whale a box office hit?

Budget$2 million
Box office$11 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $2 million to make and earned $11 million worldwide, 7.4 times its budget.

What tropes does The Squid and the Whale use?

Sir Swears-a-LotBroken PedestalParents as PeopleSpeed SexAffectionate NicknameTroubling Unchildlike BehaviorWriters Are WritersCentral ThemeGood Adultery, Bad AdulteryMale GazeNever Trust a TitlePlagiarism in Fictionand 18 more

TV Tropes lists 30 tropes for it, including Sir Swears-a-Lot, Broken Pedestal, and Parents as People.