The End of the Tour (2015) Review

Lucas Versantvoort / 13 Nov 2015

I must confess the name David Foster Wallace didn't really ring a bell nor did the title of his breakthrough book Infinite Jest. Nevertheless, knowing all this is not required at all to be enthralled by this fascinating film.

The film opens with Rolling Stone writer David Lipsky sitting on his couch in his New York apartment. He's played by Jesse Eisenberg and he's on his laptop, so already I'm getting The Social Network flashbacks. He's got a Golden Retriever next to him, however, so we know he's a good guy. He soon comes across a negative review of Infinite Jest and is determined to dislike it. After reading it, however, he discovers (a bit to his dismay) that he absolutely loves it. He practically begs his superiors for a chance to interview Wallace which they agree to, stipulating that there 'better be a story here'. Lipsky makes the long trip to Wallace's house where he finds he doesn't look at all like he imagined. Instead, as Lipsky parks his car in the driveway, through the front door comes a rather tired looking man with long, dry hair and a bandana; a hippie only without the drugs. They kick off with some small talk and over the course of several days their relationship will evolve quite a bit, though this applies more to Lipsky who has to balance his respect for Wallace and his job as an interviewer. Another underlying source of frustration for Lipsky is that he's bothered by the fact that this shabby looking guy--who he respects--is a superior writer. 

The interviews, more like regular conversations, are easily the best parts. I wouldn't be surprised if most if not all of the lines were taken from the actual interview. There's a wonderful lack of 'theatre' in the way Wallace speaks that is totally endearing. A script by a Chayefsky (Network) or a Sorkin (The Social Network) would have ruined this film as this film's intended impact relies almost entirely on natural dialogue. The film is equal parts showing the dynamic between Lipsky and Wallace and doing justice to Wallace's philosophizing and way of life.

You can imagine that with this natural way of speaking, it's not exactly hard to care about these characters. The performances by Eisenberg and especially Jason Segel help tremendously. The director wisely opts for a natural 'light' approach; one that doesn't undersell the drama, but actually enhances it with its fly-on-the-wall effect. It's refreshing to see a film that allows its drama to unfold in a natural way without any scenes that reek of Oscar-bait. When the two Davids stumble upon a few bumps in their relationship, it's told in a natural, believable way. 

All in all, it's 1 hour and 45 minutes that fly by really quick. I can't judge if the man himself is represented honestly, but I can say that The End of the Tour is utterly compelling.