Ben Stiller gets alarmingly morose as an apparent no-hoper recovering from a nervous breakdown in this comedy drama from Noah Baumbach, which is based on a story co-written with his wife Jennifer Jason Leigh. Years before, Roger Greenberg (Stiller) ran out on a Los Angeles band that was about to become successful and headed for New York to work as a carpenter. Now he's back in LA, house-sitting for his high-flying brother and trying to sort out his future. It doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs, but Stiller has a talent for comical ranting and Rhys Ifans makes a great straight man as his long-suffering former band-mate. Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) has a knack for creating clever, tension-laden dialogue that feels authentic, and there's plenty of it in the scenes between Roger and his brother's personal assistant, Florence (Greta Gerwig). Their awkward, dysfunctional romance forms the basis of the comedy, but as Roger evolves, Florence seems to regress and that creates an uneasiness that robs the story of a poignant ending. Despite the lack of a satisfying resolution, this is still rather fun.

Roger Greenberg, a failed musician now making a living as a carpenter in New York, returns to Los Angeles to house-sit for his brother. He's stranded there—since he doesn't drive—until his brother's assistant, Florence, comes to his rescue. She's as much a lost soul as he is, and the pair form a significant connection—giving Roger a much-needed reason to be happy.