Greta Gerwig, BC ’06, is rising to new cinematic heights. Dubbed the “muse of mumblecore” by Papermag and the “Meryl Streep” of the low-budget film movement by the New York Observer, Gerwig is now bringing her lanky charm to the big screen, as Florence in Noah Baumbach’s new serio-comedic flick “Greenberg.”
“Greenberg,” which was released in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, is a darkly comedic portrayal of living an unexpected life. Florence Marr, Gerwig’s character, is a sweet, bumbling 25-year-old personal assistant and caregiver to the Greenberg family. When the Greenbergs go on vacation, Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) arrives to housesit his brother’s Hollywood home. A neurotic ex-musician recovering from a mental breakdown, Greenberg claims that his mission for recuperation is “to do absolutely nothing.” He quickly realizes that doing nothing is harder than anticipated, especially with Florence around. Within six weeks, the two characters fall awkwardly and humorously into each other’s arms, as they try to grasp the meaning of their lives.
How did Gerwig make her way into a Noah Baumbach film starring Ben Stiller? It all started during her undergraduate career at Barnard. An English major with a theater concentration, she pursued her interest in acting and dramatic writing, and later became serious about film while dating her former boyfriend, filmmaker Chris Wells, CC ’06. She made her film debut in Wells’ film “L.O.L.” while still at Barnard, and went with the film to the South by Southwest Film Festival.
“I met a lot of filmmakers while I was there,” Gerwig said in an interview. “I threw myself into projects and worked on anything and everything. I tried to build my parachute on the way down.”
Gerwig approached her audition for “Greenberg” with similar determination and lightheartedness. “I auditioned for Noah and Jennifer in their apartment, and sang a little song for them because Florence is a singer,” Gerwig said. “I thought, ‘Man, even if I don’t get this, I’m happy that I got to get this far.’”
In “Greenberg,” Gerwig gives an honest performance that highlights the fragility and quiet determination of someone trying to understand what she wants. She described Florence as a woman with “a lot of pluck,” who “doesn’t allow herself to feel down about things or wallow.”
While discussing the script, Gerwig said, “I’ve never read a part that so perfectly articulated what it means to be a 25-year-old girl who’s figuring out that she is going to keep getting older.” She played the reality of that realization flawlessly.
In a quote released by Focus Features, Stiller said of Gerwig’s ability as an actress, “With Greta, you don’t feel you’re acting; you feel like you’re living real life with her. She seems incapable of being false on camera, and nothing she does feels forced. She’s a beautiful person, and that comes through in what she does.”
When asked what she hopes to do next, Gerwig said with a smile, “I try not to plan anything, because I find that just makes for disappointment. I try to envision lots of different ways I could be happy, and just go with the flow.”
But if one thing is for sure, Gerwig’s career is just getting started. “I just know I like to be stretched to the limit,” she said. “I really enjoy working. It is when I’m my happiest.”
And if Gerwig is working and happy, audiences will be, too.
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