I guess the big fad this year is character studies, and mainly character studies about self-involved grown-ups with children who act more mature than they do. We had “The Savages” a good enough dramedy, “Man in the Chair” an insufferable PSA, and now Noah Baumbach’s “Margot at the Wedding” a film that’s probably one of the most self-indulgent and pretentious pieces of crap I’ve seen in years. At only ninety minutes Baumbach’s film is an excruciating, irritating, and tedious dramedy with some of the most self-aware acting and dialogue I’ve ever heard. I’d rather see “Dan in Real Life” than this, and that’s saying a lot. And as a footnote, I will never be able to cope from seeing Jack Black’s naked ass. It will haunt me in my dreams and interrupt every decent sexual fantasy I have from here on in. But the most criminal acts are committed by pretty much everything that’s stated within the production.

It’s not funny, and telling us that makes it less unfunny, and telling us that throughout the movie doesn’t suddenly compel me to laugh. “Margot at the Wedding” inspires so many feelings of pure hatred and vitriol from me and that’s mainly in its attempts to try at symbolism and failing. There are so many moments of sheer blank faces and silent contemplation that are supposed to hint at deeper meanings and really never do. Dialogue is so utterly clunky that I could barely sit through the discussions about childhood traumas, and sexual frustration, and observations about characters that two characters have repeatedly.

Every bit of dialogue sounds like a Seinfeld skit written by a faux Neil Simon; there are numerous sequences of “What’s the deal with Margot? What’s the deal with Pauline? What’s the deal Malcolm?” all the while Kidman is genuinely over the top constantly nagging at folks and even displaying a sense of sheer stupidity whenever given the chance. Characters here are so self-involved and obnoxious that even though it was the intent, it worked to a degree where I almost didn’t finish it. It's disappointing to think that Baumbach simply couldn't continue his streak, but "Margot at the Wedding" fails on every conceivable level.

I was so very much looking forward to seeing Baumbach’s latest, but alas even I was surprised to discover that I hated it. “Margot at the Wedding” is a self-indulgent, self-aware, and smug piece of crap and possibly one of the worst of 2007, period.

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