MARGOT AT THE WEDDING

CAROLINE: I took myself to see “Margot at the Wedding” after you warned me against “Love in the Time of Cholera.”

RYAN: Oh please, don’t even waste your time on that flick.

CAROLINE: Don’t worry, I shan’t. As for “Margot,” I liked it, didn’t love it. The director, Noah Baumbach, who also did “The Squid and the Whale,” seems to have cornered the market on dysfunctional families.

RYAN: How was Nicole Kidman? And more importantly, how does she look?

CAROLINE: She’s great, and she does such a good American accent. She’s got the brown hair, which kind of works for her in this movie. But her character is such a bitch, it’s kind of depressing. Come to think of it, almost everyone in the movie is kind of awful in their own way.

RYAN: What about Jennifer Jason Leigh? She plays Nicole’s sister in the movie and is the director’s wife in real life.

CAROLINE: I’ve never loved her, but she’s pretty good. She looks great. Jack Black plays her husband and it’s nice to see him in a role that he’s suited to, but also isn’t overly comedic. I didn’t buy him as a romantic lead in “The Holiday,” but he worked in this. I think he’s transitioning nicely into the more serious roles.

RYAN: Was there anything you hated?

CAROLINE: No but oddly, a lot of scenes are really dark, as in poorly lit. I’m sure it was the director’s choice, but it seemed strange.

RYAN: So what’s your bottom line?

CAROLINE: I really like seeing Nicole Kidman doing small films like this. Overall, it’s a tight, cool, indie-ish movie that’s only 90 minutes. I enjoyed it, but it’s not a must-see in the theater.