The End of the Tour - Review

   Often celebrities today present a false image, a personality set in place specifically for the camera.  This allows one to pick and choose their mood for that day whether it’s a good or bad day depends on them. The End of the Tour is about the exact opposite of this celebrity mindset. Studying the short but meaningful relationship between a newly acclaimed writer and the Rolling Stone reporter who was lucky enough to interview him.

   In 1996, David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) published the 1000-plus-page novel “Infinite Jest” and in turn created a sensation across the literary world. This doesn’t go unnoticed by reporter David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg), who immediately pleads his case to interview the reserved writer. Lipsky gets permission to follow Wallace’s book tour for the remaining five days to interview the reluctant Wallace.

  As far as 2015’s good performances go, look no further than Jason Segel for one of the best of the year. Segel brings quietness to the role, one that’s far away from his usual characters, and allows glimpses into a man who in conflicted about his newfound fame.  It’s a very sincere performance and should get him some buzz around award season.

   Eisenberg, not to be too overshadowed, is also excellent in his role as David Lipsky. Lipsky is sort of jealous of Wallace’s fame and Eisenberg conveys this through subtle aggression. His chemistry with Segel is important as a majority of the film is just the two of them, and it clearly works for every scene the two men share.

   The directing, by James Ponsoldt, is superb, getting great performances from both actors and using great shots throughout. He does a good job of never hinting too hard at Wallace’s eventual fate, instead portraying the feelings of the man about what his life means.

   Overall The End of the Tour is a compelling character study of two men with complete opposite views on fame, celebrity and life in general. The film thrives on two great performances and interesting characters that never get boring despite the slow pace. The funny thing is the interview was never actually published, but the book by David Lipsky and now this film provide just enough insight into the mind of David Foster Wallace.  (9.0/10)

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