Build the Wall
After years of prolific feature-length output, <PERSON> shifted his attention to the Netflix anthology series Easy that lasted three seasons (2016-2019). Though the show wasn't all that popular, its presence on Netflix made it easily the most recognizable of his works to a wider audience. After producing 25 episodes in three years, his long-time marriage to director <PERSON> ended. Since then, aside from the movie under consideration, <PERSON>'s output has slowed to a crawl. <PERSON> returns to his mumblecore roots with Build the Wall, which stars three of his most frequently used collaborators: <PERSON>, <PERSON>, and <PERSON>. Like most <PERSON> movies, there isn't much of a plot, but rather an extended situation that is explored. Here, <PERSON> is turning 50. His friend <PERSON> is coming to visit him at his remote cabin in the Vermont woods, where he throws axes to pass the time, and he's hoping to get laid. His plans are thwarted, though, when his friend <PERSON> shows up to lovingly build him a stone wall on his property and show off his beef jerky necklaces while <PERSON> is visiting. 378
The title, which evokes one of the most insipid and vicious of Trumpisms, really should be titled "Don't Build the Wall, Kevin, You Cockblocker." (Finding this film by its title alone on Vimeo is nearly impossible. Thanks, <PERSON>.) As usual, the chemistry between the actors is fantastic. However, as far as <PERSON>'s return to the micro-budgeted, improvised approach of his pre-Drinking Buddies days go, it works, but there's a spark missing. The desperation of trying to make a connection with another human being, which <PERSON> displays perfectly in his numerous previous collaborations with <PERSON>, is here swapped out for intentional isolation. As a meditation on aging, akin to All the Light in the Sky (starring <PERSON>), it only skims the surface. As a result, the stakes just aren't as high for the audience. If you are a fan of <PERSON>'s work, you'll like this, and will probably prefer it to his other post-2013 output. That being said, it's the first time <PERSON> has really repeated himself, which shouldn't be surprising, given that he directed 19 other movies and a 25 episode TV series over the previous 15 years. With a running time of just under an hour, this is definitely worth a watch, even if it is just the cinematic version of <PERSON> clearing his throat a little bit. 698