Written and directed by Noah Boaumbach the dark comedy is the poignantly told tale of childless mid-forties couple Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts) who are in the midst of friends having children and feeling somewhat left out. They gravitate towards befriending younger couple Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried).
Through shared interest in filmmaking Josh and Cornelia commence a friendship where they enjoy the vibrant energy that pervades from the younger hipster couple. Eventually Josh begins to believe that Adam is not all that he seems and that he has a hidden agenda.
In a more dramatic role Stiller is quite believable as a neurotic New Yorker that is in the depths of realising that he may have not reached his life’s full potential. He is bogged down with creating his Opus in the form of a document that he lacks funding for. In Adam he sees the youthful exuberance that he seems to have lost.
The film has rather strong themes on the conflict of aging, how we retain an element of youth and live up to our full potential by not letting life get in the way of our dreams. It explores the common theme that technology is evading ever corner of our lives and that we are losing touch with each other socially. It is a very thought provoking film that explores very deep issues that make the viewer really think. In the supporting role of Jamie, relative new-comer Adam Driver is gangly and slightly awkward. Audiences would be familiar with the actor in the role of Adam on HBO’s 'Girls'. He begins as being rather likeable but as the film progresses he becomes less endearing, however it does not explore him in-depth, instead focusing on James and his neuroses. Naomi Watts is also quite remarkable in her role as she explores the pain of being a childless woman. It’s a theme that is difficult to express but Watts does it justice with her portrayal.
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'While We’re Young' is a thought-provoking film that viewers in the same age will really connect with. Seeing James struggle with the effort to stay young (by buying a fedora hat) and attending festivals with Darcy and Jamie the viewer is reminded that sometimes as we grow older we shed past rituals and evolve. As a part of growing older we come to accept that life changes in ways we don’t expect. It is a theme that is told rather well and will leave the viewer thinking long after the film has ended.
