I'm not sure who the morons are who couldn't sit thorough this film, but too bad for your brain damaged mind due to over saturated computer graphic driven movies. This is a film, and it's a gem. The story is of a semi-famous sculpture at the twilight of his career. Being honored at a school he teaches, his estranged sons and (less we forget daughter) are coming home to attend it.

The film starts with an amazing father/daughter moment between Eliza (Grace Van Patten) and Danny (Adam Sandler). What makes this INCREDIBLY touching is that Eliza isn't a terrible millenial child. She is a mature thoughtful doting on her father person. Who is about to attend college and can't seem to abandon her lost father. She's obviously strong willed yet incredibly concerned about his life (shouldn't this be the opposite...nope!). She is so independent..she makes semi-pornographic films as a student filmmaker and passes it as art, as father, grandfather and aunt look on, uncertain if to continue to support the creative gene in the family.

Eventually, the dysfunctional piece-mealed family does unite, in the way only deeply strained inconsistent families do. And the common thread is a somewhat bitter art father Harold Meyerowitz (Dustin Hoffman) who can't face his failures in how he raised his children. Very much in the vein of a Robert Benton type film, it is bittersweet in its cantankerous unlikable male lead (think Paul Newman in "Nobody's Fool.") I love this film. Director Noah Baumbach has done something I didn't realize could still be done in this trash heap of spectacle movies...he touches human interaction at the core details. Bravo!

Noah Baumbach is in peak form in his latest 'The Meyerowitz Stories', a family-comedy-drama, that tells the tale of an estranged family, with gut-wrenching realism. And the cast, is simply Fantastic!

'The Meyerowitz Stories' Synopsis: An estranged family gathers together in New York for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father.

Very few storytellers depict human relations like Baumbach much. 'The Meyerowitz Stories' delves into the lives of a family torn apart, starting from an overbearing, flawed father to his children, that being 3 kids from two different wives. Their journey is told with a humorous touch, but this story, at its core, is heartbreaking. Watching the siblings living with unsettled issues to a father who can't ever look beyond himself, is told with such realism, its hard not to get your heart melted. I was engrossed as well as heartbroken by seeing this big family unable to be one, due to circumstances. But knowing its Baumbach who's telling the story here, you know there is enough to laugh & be cheerful about.

Baumbach's Screenplay is very good. The Writing remains strong all through, never losing grip on the Meyerowitz, even when they do upon each other. Baumbach's Direction is outstanding. The way he has handled the film, deserves an ovation. Robbie Ryan's Cinematography captures every moment well. Jennifer Lame's Editing is razor-crisp. Art & Costume Design are perfectly done. Randy Newman's Score is winning, too.

And now to the performances! Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman & Elizabeth Marvel are up for vie top honors. Hoffman, an acting legend, is at his overbearing best as Meyerowits Sr., enacting the hard to like old-man with the perfect blend of spice & humanity. Stiller stuns as Matthew, who has to deal with his many family problems. This is Stiller's best performance in years. And Sandler is a big surprise as the Danny, the son who always got lesser attention from his father. Sandler portrays genuine heartache & proves us, that he's truly an actor of high caliber. Marvel, as Sandler's sister Jean, is extraordinary. Her performance is a mastery in deadpan. The impeccable Emma Thompson shines as Hoffman's newest wife, Maureen. Grace Van Patten as Eliza, Danny's daughter, also leaves a lovely mark. The Great Judd Hirsch too shows up in a terrific cameo, as Hoffman's contemporary artist. Adam Driver has just one-scene here, but he nails it as usual.

On the whole, 'The Meyerowitz Stories' is one family tale you ought to watch. Baumbach has come up with a big winner, yet again!

'THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (NEW AND SELECTED)': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Acclaimed writer/director Noah Baumbach's new critically acclaimed comedy-drama, which stars Adam Sandler (in his most critically acclaimed performance to date),Ben Stiller (in his third collaboration with Baumbach),Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Marvel, Grace Van Patten and Emma Thompson. It tells the story of three dysfunctional adult siblings, that all desperately try to cope with living in their father's enormous shadow. The movie also features supporting performances from Rebecca Miller, Candice Bergen, Judd Hirsch and Adam Driver. It's received nearly unanimous rave reviews from critics, and it's been nominated for multiple prestigious awards as well. The film is also arguably the best reviewed movie released by Netflix yet (through their streaming site). I found it to be immensely enjoyable, and really interesting, like all of Baumbach's movies.

The story revolves around Harold Meyerowitz (Hoffman),and his three adult offspring; Danny (Sandler),Matthew (Stiller) and Jean (Marvel). Harold is a very self centered, and strong-willed, artist; who's been married multiple times, and is now thinking about selling his current place and all of his art. He was also a horrible father, and his three children are all dysfunctional now because of it. They each have their own story to tell, throughout the film, as they still struggle to deal with living in their dad's overwhelmingly enormous shadow.

The movie is full of clever, non-stop dialogue. It's often so non-stop that it's really hard to keep up with it; but I still loved the movie, actually probably because of it. The characters are also all richly developed, and beautifully flawed (in a very relatable and inspiring way, to me). The performances are all really impressive too; especially Stiller, Hoffman and Sandler (and it's at the very least one of Sandler's best performances to date as well). This is all made possible though, by the awesomely talented writer/director Noah Baumbach; and this is arguably at least one of his very best films to date too.