Josh (Stiller) is a 40-something documentarian living a bit of a ho-hum life with his producer wife (Watts). He’s been working on his epic lifetime achievement piece "About America" for the past eight years. In the meantime he is teaching documentary skills at Community College. While reasonably successful in the past, his life has hit a bit of a roadblock until an unlikely friendship is formed with young couple Jamie and Darby (Driver and Seyfried).

What is awkwardly apparent, though played wonderfully for laughs, is the generation gap between these two couples which might prove to be more difficult to navigate than they may have thought. Josh is caught being ignored by hip, driven, industrious and ambitious Jamie who sees himself as an up-and-coming documentarian. This is wonderfully juxtaposed by Josh ignoring advice given by his elderly father-in-law – a scene stealing Charles Grodin.

Noah Baumbach’s left-of-left-of-centre dramedies can be a bit of an acquired taste. You’re often placed in a position watching an awkward moment of human frailty and feeling amused and empathetic at the same time. But Baumbach has crafted a wonderfully warm film that’s honestly funny all the way through, without an amuseathetic feeling being had.

I don’t think Stiller has been as engaging for a while, with Driver and Watts being wonderful – especially Watts attempting hip hop. The ongoing pop culture jokes, former hipsters attempting to become hipsters once again and a strong directorial hand results in a witty comedy with a solid tale that is able to deliver intelligent storytelling and humour without forgoing either.