'Poetic License' Review: Hoffman Steals The Show in Sweet Campus Comedy [TIFF 25]
maude apatow’s directorial debut leaves a lasting impression: well-acted, laugh out loud funny, and heartfelt.
Every year, the Toronto International Film Festival offers a wide range of films, directed by film veterans to auteurs to newcomers. Although some of the more well-known directors’ films may initially generate more buzz, it’s often a smart idea to keep an eye out for those new to directing. Indeed, those presenting their freshman or sophomore efforts at TIFF can often be the best titles of the festival, surprising their viewers and staying top of mind long after the festival concludes.
This year, Maude Apatow made her directorial debut with Poetic License. Apatow, best known for playing Lexi Howard in HBO series Euphoria, comes from a family of filmmakers, with director father Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) and actress mother Leslie Mann. Although she stared acting at the age of seven, she has only been rising in popularity in the last several years, likely primarily attributed to her role in Euphoria; notably, she seems to be broadening her artistic endeavors, making her theatrical debut in 2023. Now, with Poetic License, she has made the jump to leading her own projects, and based on the quality of this dramedy, viewers can only hope for more to come.
The film follows Liz (Leslie Mann), a former therapist, as she navigates her life in a new state following a move for her husband (Method Man) and his career in academia. Beyond relocation, she also maneuvers her relationship with her teenage daughter Dora (Nico Parker) as she grows up, despite Liz’s best efforts to slow that process down. Liz begins auditing a poetry class at her husband’s university with intentions to learn something new. Here, she meets college seniors (and best friends) Sam (Andrew Barth Feldman) and Ari (Cooper Hoffman). Soon enough, the lines become blurred between classmates and friends, and both Sam and Ari begin vying for Liz’s affection, before she is eventually forced to confront what her life is missing.
Leslie Mann’s portrayal of Liz is both hilarious and sympathetic. As a stay-at-home mom, Liz finds herself struggling with letting go of her daughter as she enters her final years of high school and begins spending most of her time with new friends. Although Liz and her daughter have a close, loving relationship, Dora naturally wants to spread her wings, perhaps getting involved with the wrong crowd. Liz tries her best to be happy and supportive, but with little to do in their new city, she finds herself depending more and more on her daughter – just as she begins to pull away. This struggle really speaks to the evolution of motherhood and finding who you are outside of your role as a parent – Liz awkwardly pushing to remain involved in her daughter life while at the same trying to find her own purpose. Her behaviours are little unorthodox, often making decisions that the viewer can’t help but cringe at, but beneath the comedic element to this film, there is heartfelt meaning.
Beyond the sweet, relatable moments in Liz’s self-discovery, the most notable part of this film is the dynamic between Sam (Feldman) and Ari (Hoffman) – both are extremely well-cast for their respective roles. Sam, dorky senior struggling to come to terms with his prospective career in finance, is trying to branch out and try new things through enrolling in a poetry seminar with Ari. Ari, on the other hand, is free falling, a rich kid with no sense of where he’s going or where he'll be once college is over. Sam is consumed by the future, while Ari can only focus on what’s going on right in front of him. In this transitional period, Ari holds onto his friendship with Sam with everything he has, and although Sam loves him too, their bond can be a precarious one. Liz entering their lives changes things for both the better and worse – the decisions they make are, naturally, very questionable, but in different ways, they learn more about themselves and who they want to be. Most importantly, they find a way to maintain their friendship through their ups and downs – and they definitely have some downs.
The script is well-written, but Hoffman absolutely steals the show with his performance as Ari. Just a few short years ago, he made his acting debut starring in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, and right off the bat, he was a name to watch. Now, in Poetic License, he shines, hitting the comedic notes of the film so perfectly. Feldman tags along with him, albeit with a more subdued performance, but together, they’re a hilarious duo.
This film is sweet at heart and laugh out loud, well-acted by the entire cast. Poetic License, taking place on a university campus at the beginning of the Fall semester, is a perfect movie to watch on a cozy autumn day – fresh and unexpectedly great, this isn’t one to miss.