Listen Up Philip (2014)

Overview
"Listen Up Philip" is a 2014 comedy-drama movie composed and directed by Alex Ross Perry. It features an ensemble cast including Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Krysten Ritter, and Jonathan Pryce. The film is a darkly humorous assessment of narcissism, creativity, and the complexities of human relationships, masterfully provided through engaging performances and a distinct literary style. The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Plot
The movie revolves around the life of Philip Lewis Friedman (Jason Schwartzman), a talented, big-headed, and narcissistic author living in New York City. Philip's 2nd novel will be released, and he's frustrated with numerous aspects of his life, including his stagnant relationship with girlfriend Ashley Kane (Elisabeth Moss), an effective professional photographer. Exceptionally disillusioned with the city life, Philip decides to accept an open-ended invite from his literary idol, Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce), to stay at his summertime house.

Character Development
Ike sees potential in Philip and helps him in accepting his self-absorption, additional fueling the latter's narcissism. Philip's actions start to take a heavy toll on his individual life, especially his relationship with Ashley. The film also endeavors into Ashley's viewpoint, shedding light on her steady awareness of Philip's hazardous nature and her subsequent decision to break away.

Styles
"Listen Up Philip" explores various themes, consisting of the toxic self-obsession of innovative luster and its implications on relationships. It likewise sheds light on loneliness, disillusionment, and self-reliance. Philip's narcissism is incisively depicted as both his strength, in writing, and his downfall, in individual relationships.

Critics' View
The special temporal story of the movie, total with the ironic voiceovers and a shift in lead characters, amassed praise from critics. The efficiencies by the cast, specifically Schwartzman and Moss, were lauded. Critics valued Perry's real representation of complex characters and his capability to make the audiences empathize with them in spite of their plain flaws. The criticisms of the film were mainly centered around its cynical tone and the dislikability of the primary character.

Ticket Office Performance and Accolades
"Listen Up Philip" did not perform incredibly well at the box office but got a cult following for its special narrative style and stand-out efficiencies. The movie was nominated for several awards and won the Special Jury Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival.

Conclusion
"Listen Up Philip" is a compelling portrayal of an artist's fall under narcissism and its effects on his relationships. With excellent efficiencies and a special narrative design, it provides a clear-eyed review of self-absorption and the often poisonous relationship in between creativity and ego. In Alex Ross Perry's deft hands, "Listen Up Philip" becomes more than just a story about a writer-- it ends up being a universal expedition of human complexity, vulnerability, and the search for identity.

Top Cast