` THE SQUID AND THE WHALE ' Divorce , Brooklyn style in the mid-1980 's , is the subject of Noah Baumbach 's acutely observed , semi-autobiographical exploration of the exploding marriage between an egotistical writer and teacher -LRB- Jeff Daniels -RRB- and his wife -LRB- Laura Linney -RRB- , an aspiring writer whose career is blossoming .