Watch The Meyerowitz Stories

In the year 2017, a poignant movie directed and written by Noah Baumbach, titled The Meyerowitz Stories, premiered to great acclaim. The film features an all-star cast, including Adam Sandler, Grace Van Patten, and Dustin Hoffman, and focuses on the differences between the members of the Meyerowitz family. The Meyerowitz siblings, including Danny (Adam Sandler), Jean (Elizabeth Marvel), and Matthew (Ben Stiller), each have their own struggles to overcome with their father, Harold (Dustin Hoffman), a once-prominent sculptor who cares more about his legacy than his family. Danny, who provides comic relief throughout the film, is a musician who has never made it big and still lives with his father. Matthew, Harold’s favored son, has a career as a financial advisor for Hollywood’s elite, which contrasts with his father’s artistry.

The Meyerowitz Stories is a film that portrays the dysfunctional family dynamic perfectly. It’s not your usual Hollywood portrayal of normalcy and happy endings. Through Harold, the film explores the idea of family and success, and how artistic integrity always falters behind commercial success. He feels like his career is incomplete, as he has never been respected in the art world, and tries to force those ideals onto his children.

The film takes an insightful perspective on the complexities of familial life. The Meyerowitz children have all grown up under their father's watchful eye, with Harold largely failing to give them the nurturing love they required. This lack of unconditional love left each sibling with its scars and has shaped their outlook on life. Harold, in turn, is a tortured man - embittered and lacking in self-awareness, as he fails to comprehend how his obsession with his art and pseudo-intellectual pursuits marginalizes his family.

The film also touches on the positive aspects of family dynamics. Despite their resentment, the Meyerowitz siblings bond over the years, treating themselves to moments of vulnerability that slowly bring them closer together. They share some valuable moments of reconciliations and look beyond their father's selfishness when he is incapacitated by an accident that brings them together.

The film owes much of its success to the brilliant acting performances that the cast delivers. In particular, Adam Sandler gives an arresting performance as Danny, proving that his acting chops reach far beyond his capacity for slapstick or low-brow comedy. Dustin Hoffman, too, taps into his characters' self-indulgent tendencies, providing a thoroughly believable portrayal of a narcissistic, paternal art snob. Grace Van Patten is also impressive as Eliza, Danny's daughter, who brings a new perspective to the family dynamic, providing hope and humor in equal measure.

The music is also noteworthy, with Randy Newman's score playing a likeable tune throughout the film. It's the perfect soundtrack for showcasing the more touching moments of the story.

Overall, The Meyerowitz Stories transcends the bounds of its genre, telling a poignant story about the complexities of family, love, and life. Through its brilliant acting, witty writing, and music, the film will connect with most who watch it, providing a soulful look at the modern human experience. This masterpiece of a film will leave you with much to ponder over and cherish for years to come, and deserves to be watched multiple times.

The Meyerowitz Stories is a 2017 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9 and a MetaScore of 79.