“The End of the Tour,” American indie director James Ponsoldt’s fourth feature, chronicles Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky’s (Jesse Eisenberg) five-day interview with novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) as he promotes his 1,000 page epic, Infinite Jest. Ponsoldt, known for Sundance award-winners “Smashed” (2012) and “The Spectacular Now” (2013), delivers a genuine, unpretentious film, rooted in a slower, satisfying pace that allows the viewer to absorb every moment of Eisenberg and Segel’s surprisingly dark, honest performances. Like a memorable road trip, the film abandons an answer for the men’s relationship, instead relishing moments of mutual understanding and the incredible satisfaction of good conversation.
The film’s visual straightforwardness and lack of flashy, Hollywood parlor tricks ground it in its most intriguing aspect: Lipsky and Wallace’s growing relationship. Ponsoldt deftly picks which moments to linger on while communicating much of the story, refreshingly, with little dialogue or exposition. In a nice moment before packing to leave on the tour, Lipsky reacts to Infinite Jest and the upcoming interview to his wife in only one word: “shit.” He then packs his bags and leaves; no added, witty lines necessary.
Eisenberg brings a refreshing, almost boyish charm to Lipsky, a relief from his stiff, cold portrayal of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg in “Social Network”; although, Lipsky’s charm isn’t immediately present. The film introduces him as an annoying reporter, practically shoving the tape recorder in Wallace’s face the day they meet like an novice, takes-this-too-seriously journalist. The tape recorder quickly becomes the object of attention for both men as their relationship both builds around it and, at the movie’s most exciting moments of discovery, forgets it’s there. Wallace and Lipsky are brilliant but closed, and Eisenberg and Segel seamlessly transition between openness and guardedness throughout the interview.
The moments at which “The End of the Tour” shows each man’s opening up is what makes the film feel so honest. While, as any road trip movie, the film includes scenes of filling up gas, buying food, or morning routines, Ponsoldt uses these usually banal moments often comically to develop the pair’s relationship. While Lipsky constantly seeks to assert himself, using his Rolling Stone account to try and pay for meals, Wallace often radically opens himself to Lipsky, such as revealing his fear of technology and dying alone as they wait for their plane to takeoff. Often the camera patiently holds on one, static angle for these conversations, bringing both characters together in a shared understanding.
In other moments, Ponsoldt oddly seems to skip crucial scenes. Segel brilliantly conveys Wallace’s nervousness in addressing his fans at a book signing, but the film instead cuts the whole speech. While finding myself initially frustrated at this choice, the directorial decision is quite smart; Ponsoldt forces the viewer to understand Wallace through his relationship with Lipsky. This cutting of unnecessary details from the script continues throughout the film, and becomes a way to bookend the characters’ most emotional moments, like watching tears form in Lipsky’s eyes but never seeing them fall.
Ponsoldt’s careful treating of such a genuine, comical, and odd relationship makes “The End of the Tour” perfectly, subtly moving, leading you to the edge of an answer for each character’s lives without prescribing a resolution. Instead of overdoing its most emotional moments, as if it did show the tears fall down Lipsky’s cheek, the film depicts and induces a more beautiful, poignant feeling of welling up without quite knowing why.
“The End of the Tour” opened at Kimball’s Peak Three Theater downtown last Friday, and will be playing daily at 2:30, 5:00, and 7:30 pm. Tuesday they offer student prices, and a 6.50 ticket.
My name is Tom and I am a senior Film and Media Major who watches movies both to escape from and to appreciate reality. I love emotional, genuine movies, and Reel Talk is my new, weekly column reviewing new releases in theaters. I hope these reviews help you find your next worthwhile movie experience, and check back next week for the highly anticipated, CC-grad directed climbing documentary “Meru.”