Listen Up Philip

Name: Listen Up Philip
Genre: Drama
Released: October 17, 2014
Duration: 108 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Jason Schwartzman, Jonathan Pryce, Joséphine de La Baume, Krysten Ritter

2014

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Ratings

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Listen Up Philip

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Movie Details & Credits

Tribeca Film | Release Date: October 17, 2014 | Not Rated

Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Jason Schwartzman, Jonathan Pryce, Joséphine de La Baume, Krysten Ritter

Summary: As Philip (Jason Schwartzman) awaits the publication of his second novel, he feels alienated by the constant crowds and noise of his home city, his deteriorating relationship with his photographer girlfriend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss), and his own indifference to promoting the novel. So when his idol, Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce), offers hisAs Philip (Jason Schwartzman) awaits the publication of his second novel, he feels alienated by the constant crowds and noise of his home city, his deteriorating relationship with his photographer girlfriend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss), and his own indifference to promoting the novel. So when his idol, Ike Zimmerman (Jonathan Pryce), offers his isolated summer home as a refuge, Phlip finally gets the peace and quiet to focus on his favorite subject—himself.… Expand

Director: Alex Ross Perry

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 108 min

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Critic Reviews

100

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Jun 4, 2015

Perry somehow allows his cast enough space in this meticulously authored environment to work creative wonders of their own. Read full review

Jeff Baker

Nov 1, 2014

A brilliantly flinty movie about writers angry at the world for failing to live up to their standards and recognize their genius. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Oct 15, 2014

Listen Up Philip doesn’t care to be liked. And in that, it deserves to be loved. Read full review

Andrew O'Hehir

Oct 16, 2014

Once you adjust to Listen Up Philip, it’s also invigorating, disturbing and frequently hilarious, but that adjustment’s not entirely painless. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Glenn Kenny

Oct 17, 2014

The terrific cast all delves into the material full-bore, which contributes to its peculiar resonance. Perry may hate everyone and everything, but in making a show of it, he’s thoroughly entertaining. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

Sep 29, 2014

Technically and in his work with actors, Philip represents a great leap forward for Perry; a subsequent jump might involve presenting a central character with whom viewers could legitimately engage. Read full review

Rex Reed

Oct 14, 2014

A pointless, pathetic and profoundly boring send-up of universally acknowledged anti-social author Philip Roth, Listen Up Philip is a juvenile experiment in pretentious idiosyncrasy by amateurish writer-director Alex Ross Perry. He calls his miserable protagonist Philip Friedman, but who’s kidding who? Read full review

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User Reviews

DrBlahBlah

May 1, 2017

Perhaps the best film about writers and writing since Barton Fink, Listen Up Philip manages to be hilarious, heartbreaking, and genuinely upsetting. (In a good way.)

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Fb29

Mar 30, 2015

Excellent movie. If you liked Bored to Death then I suspect you will like this movie. I am beginning to understand that Jason Schwartzman is the king of subtle comic genius. He has a way of delivering absolutely ludicrous lines in a way that I believe. He's his own straight man. EveryoneExcellent movie. If you liked Bored to Death then I suspect you will like this movie. I am beginning to understand that Jason Schwartzman is the king of subtle comic genius. He has a way of delivering absolutely ludicrous lines in a way that I believe. He's his own straight man. Everyone else probably already knows this, but I'm just catching on.

This movie is really funny, but it's not going to help you figure out what to laugh at.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

beingryanjude

Mar 27, 2015

Its strong narrative and old fashioned feel reveal influences from Robert Altman and Woody Allen which allow Alex Ross Perry and his third feature to give us something to really think about. Elisabeth Moss continues to impress as Schwartzman's soon-to-be ex-girlfriend.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

adnan_soysal

Sep 26, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A bizarre movie. A young writer's (Philip) second book is about to be published. He is abrupt, ill mannered, impolite, unpredictable from beginning to end. At the beginning of the movie he rebukes his ex girl friend just because she came late to their appointment, saying he was planning to give this copy to her, but now he is not giving it, and he is living. Later he stops planned promotion of his upcoming book like out of blue sky. Then he leaves his girl friend to get mentoring from an old, famous writer. The guy is just super ego centric, behaving jerky, irritating the viewer from beginning to end. And Jason Schwartzman just fits to this role so naturally.

But funny thing is that this character has its charm also; particularly to women. He gets attraction at first, goes into relation. and then he destroys his credits in the relation without caring.

Can one live like that? Why would/should one like to live like that? What does he want? does he hate to be politicly correct? or just does not want to be a hypocrite? These are the questions stroked my mind after the movie.

One other striking thing in the movie was the superb performance of women characters. From Philip's girl friend Ashley (Elisabeth Moss) to Emily (Dree Hemingway - I would love to see Dree Hemingway in main roles. There is something so teasing with her). They were hyper modern day's real, casual, lovely women.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

InTrippyEntropy

Jun 19, 2019

8 hours ago

About five minutes into this movie, I thought of Woody Allen. I've decided not to watch his movies any longer. Nevertheless, at one time he was a very gifted filmmaker. This movie appears to be have the same general feeling as one of Allen's. Uptight New York intellectuals8 hours ago

About five minutes into this movie, I thought of Woody Allen. I've decided not to watch his movies any longer. Nevertheless, at one time he was a very gifted filmmaker. This movie appears to be have the same general feeling as one of Allen's. Uptight New York intellectuals worrying about everything.. it's low budget and it shows. Jason Schwartzman plays struggling young writer who is endlessly distracted by his near-fame. As a consequence, he's rude and dismissive to everyone around him. Most of the dialogue consists of characters making dogmatic statements or trying to outdo each other. I love neurotics and writers and New York intellectuals. But the cold tone, unlikable characters and familiar territory make this movie hard to get through.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Proteus

Oct 29, 2014

Disappointing. Really feels dated. Do people still think like this somewhere....like the NE part of the USA? Maybe. A lot of unhappy people here I guess caught up in their own self worth and how to protect it while making themselves miserable.

Only in a tiny world could we have charactersDisappointing. Really feels dated. Do people still think like this somewhere....like the NE part of the USA? Maybe. A lot of unhappy people here I guess caught up in their own self worth and how to protect it while making themselves miserable.

Only in a tiny world could we have characters like this....but the world is not small anymore...it is really big and somebody should inform the author of this movie.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

EdgarReviews

Jun 27, 2015

Functioning as a cheap parody of Wes Anderson, Woody Allen and Louis C.K, Listen Up Philip is irritatingly edited and so far up its own ass that it's a wonder Philip can listen to anything at all.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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