The Noah Baumbach of today is a firmly established filmmaker who counts himself among the most talented of his generation. His latest film Marriage Story was firmly in the running to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and nearly all of his films the decade prior were critically-acclaimed from one degree to another. You could tell from his debut feature Kicking and Screaming in 1995 (desperately awaiting a Blu-Ray upgrade from Criterion) that he had a unique voice which you needed to watch closely. Before he would land his first Oscar nomination a decade later with his third official feature The Squid and The Whale, he would release his less-talked-about sophomore feature Mr. Jealousy in 1997. Reteaming with Eric Stoltz (Bodies, Rest & Motion), Baumbach loses some of the captivating originality of his debut, but succeeds in crafting a feature that is very entertaining. This romantic comedy shows the highs and lows of a relationship as it tries to fend off toxic neuroses. It has not been the most widely available, but thankfully this new release should provide it with a new audience.
Stoltz plays Lester Grimm, an aspiring writer with past baggage which keeps him at an emotional disadvantage when it comes to relationships. When he was 15, he had a date with a lovely young lady of the standard dinner-and-a-movie variety. While the date was enjoyable enough despite fumbling the goodnight kiss, a subsequent date ended much more disastrously when he found the young woman making out with a 24-year-old club promoter. This pivotal moment sent young Lester down a path of jealousy and insecurity that has ruined every relationship since. Now 31, Lester has recently started dating Ramona Ray (Annabella Sciorra, Jungle Fever), a docent at a museum getting her Ph.D. in Abstract Expressionism. The two were introduced by Lester’s friend Vince (Carlos Jacott, Firefly) and Vince’s fiancee Lucretia (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Secrets & Lies). The relationship between Lester and Ramona is downright idyllic, but old tendencies come back to Lester when Ramona mentions she used to date Dashiell Frank (Chris Eigeman, Gilmore Girls), the current so-called “generation-defining writer.”
While Baumbach rarely deals in farcical plot elements, the remainder of what comes out of Mr. Jealousy is the closest I have seen from the filmmaker. One day Lester spots Dashiell on the street and just starts following him – he just wants to get a sense of what he is like. His curiosity overcomes him so much that he follows him all the way into a group therapy session held by Dr. Poke (Peter Bogdanovich, perfectly deadpan). In a panic Lester pretends to be his friend Vince, and through the actual Vince’s urging he convinces Lester to keep returning in hopes of diagnosing some of the issues he is wrestling with leading to his wedding day. There are a lot of balls in the air that are going to eventually come crashing down, but somehow Baumbach makes the situation seem just realistic enough. The dialogue between all of the characters presents with the biting realism that we would expect from the creative. The extra plot just weighs down the narrative a bit too much for its own good.
The performers do an admirable job of bringing life to these very particular characters. Eigeman does not overplay the part of the smarmy writer, and through his portrayal you can understand why Lester even starts to have a bit of a kinship with him. Their playful antagonism within the group helps both of them in unexpected ways. Stoltz makes what could be an insufferable character at least somewhat charming as he acts as the architect of his own destruction. When he is just existing outside of the world with Ramona, you believe they could work as a couple. Sciorra is the perfect amount of kooky without becoming one of the original manic pixie dreamgirls. You root for her more than you do Lester; she is bound to put up with only so much of his jealous tendencies. The script from Baumbach is a slightly overwritten but insightful look at how destructive jealousy and distrust can be within a relationship. The subject does not seem pleasant, but, as he would prove much more deftly in his later output, he has a gift for making the awkward and uncomfortable greatly enjoyable.
As a romantic comedy, Mr. Jealousy establishes enough of a singular identity to set it apart from your standard studio output. There are some major laughs throughout, but you are more likely to receive a steady stream of appreciative chuckles out of this one. The characters are the picture, and if you do not like them or who is bringing them to life, you will probably struggle with this one. Personally, the idea of spending time with these messy, neurotic characters amounts to an enjoyable time for me. It is far from his best work, but with Mr. Jealousy Baumbach has delivered another strong character piece with laughter and heart.
Video Quality
Mr. Jealousy comes to Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer derived from what is almost assuredly a new master. The fact that MVD Entertainment has not only rescued this film from obscurity but has also given it a beautiful presentation is very impressive. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the source without any hints of digital tinkering. The grain presents as organic rather than overwhelmingly noisy, which allows for greater depth to the image. Overall clarity and detail is very strong, and skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Colors are well saturated with vivid hues popping off the screen, especially in some of the clothing choices. Black levels are deep and hold up well with crush not serving as a noticeable issue. Instances of print damage have been cleaned up immensely with no noticeable blemishes. This new presentation from MVD Entertainment is better than any fan of the film probably ever dreamed of getting.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a LPCM 2.0 track that accurately captures the intended sound of the film. The music is used well to establish the mood of the story, and this track handles it elegantly throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The bustling urban environmental sounds are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. MVD Entertainment has given this film a perfectly preserved audio presentation that brings the movie to life in a most pleasing manner.
Special Features
- Revisiting Mr. Jealousy: A wonderful new 41-minute featurette which includes new interviews with cast members Brian Kerwin, Peter Bogdanovich, producer Joel Castelberg along with vintage interviews with writer and director Noah Baumbach. This piece delves into the themes, the development of the behind-the-scenes dynamics, the process of creating this story and getting it to the screen, the work with the performers and much more. A new supplement of such depth was an unexpected surprise for this disc. Worth a watch!
- Trailers: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer for Mr. Jealousy is provided here. There are also trailers provided for Zeroville, Falcon Rising and Highball.
Final Thoughts
Mr. Jealousy is a slightly convoluted romantic comedy that avoids complete collapse thanks to strong character moments and performances. Baumbach clearly has some relatable themes he is trying to work with here, but he would find more impactful ways to tackle them in later work. In the end the writer-director does not stumble as far as many do on their sophomore efforts. MVD Entertainment has rescued this one from relative obscurity with a new Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and some great new supplemental featurette. Whether you are a Baumbach fan wanting to see more of his work or just looking for an amiable romantic comedy, this film is an enjoyable time. Recommended
Mr. Jealousy is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
