Not for Everyone

Rating: 9/10 (11 January 2014)

This title is not what most would consider an "every man" movie; however, it is a good film nonetheless. To be honest, I've never been a big fan of either Ben Stiller or Kristen Wiig, and this movie has not necessarily changed my opinion. I will say, though, that I was more than impressed by the performance of each in this film. Stiller is aloof yet charismatic with a certain appeal to the more thoughtful and serious of this generation; Wiig is pragmatic and genuine. Both characters share a feeling discontentment with their lives. Wiig seems to understand the importance of remaining engaged in reality yet lives with a bad taste in her mouth, embracing the foulness that repulses her. On the other hand, Stiller escapes his discontent by "zoning out" into an ever prevalent daydream, finding purpose in fantasy rather than reality.
The way this movie was filmed found beauty in the simplicity of life as well as the grandeur, often at the same time. The shots of Stiller skating through Iceland are sublime, from the breathtaking scenery to Stiller's euphoric expressions.
At this point I would be remiss if I made no mention of Adrian Martinez, Sean Penn, Adam Scott, and Olafur Darri Olafsson. The roles of each were cast to near perfection. I would be hard pressed to come up with anyone better suited for those roles. In many respects, they are the backbone of this movie, and despite their lack of on-screen time I thought their characters were surprisingly well developed.
I don't know how involved Stiller was in casting or developing the sceenplay (I'm assuming a fair amount) but kudos to him regardless. It may not be one of the best movies ever, but it is well made and especially thought provoking. Undoubtedly one of my favorites.