First Hit: Intelligent dialogue in a very well-acted film.
This is a simple intelligent film about David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) a Rolling Stone reporter who works his boss to get an assignment to interview the current hottest writer David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel). Wallace has a past and history that Lipsky wants to better understand but mostly, because Lipsky, a writer himself, wants to find out why Wallace’s book is so much better than his recently published book.
A number of their conversations take place in the car driving to various book readings, café’s, and Wallace’s home. Because of the physical closeness, their relationship grows to reveal a lot about each of the men. Wallace talks about learning about himself the hard way. He’s deeply explored his depression, has and continues to learn what is important to him, and how to deal with how the public views him, which often is far from the truth. He’s learned what his reality is and how to reconcile all of his life’s difficulties.
Lipsky gets challenged by someone who is as smart (maybe even smarter) as him. His respect and admiration occasionally gets in the way of interviewing Wallace, but those items also create a way to deeply learn more about Wallace and himself.
Eisenberg was his usual high intensity, high speed intellectual self. He’s is smart that he picks roles that display his natural strength. Segel gives a performance of a lifetime. He is stupendous, superb, and sublime. He embodies the character and dialogue. Donald Margulies wrote an incredibly strong script. James Ponsoldt created a great watchable film through his direction.
Overall: This was a very watchable film by having intelligent dialogue.