Intimate character studies such as The End of the Tour may not be particularly cinematic, but they can still be terrifically entertaining.  In this case, Jason Segel portrays writer David Foster Wallace in 1996, soon after the publication of his acclaimed novel Infinite Jest, being interviewed by Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg).  The five day interview comprises the bulk of the film, but the drama is bookended by more recent scenes to frame the story.

James Ponsoldt’s film is remarkable.  It is witty and humorous, acerbic and sly, silly and deeply profound.  By simply following the exhaustive conversation between these two men, and a few other people they meet on Wallace’s final book tour stop in Minneapolis, the film presents a master class in journalism, interviewing (from both perspectives) and psychology.  Its dialogue is fresh, authentic, dynamic and loaded with gems as interviewer and interviewee discuss everything from how TV dehumanizes culture to giving dogs proper names.

Donald Margulies’ script, based on a book by Lipsky chronicling the interview, is brilliant, but so are the actors.  I’ve never been a big fan of either Segel or Eisenberg, but each of them is tremendous.  Segel is revelatory in a smart, dialogue-heavy role reminiscent of someone Leonardo DiCaprio would play, only more ordinary.  Eisenberg is pitch perfect as the smarmy journalist who would trade everything in order to have written Wallace’s book.  They balance each other very nicely, and fully inhabit their characters.

I loved this film, and it was only at the conclusion and the credits that I realized it was based real people.  Despite being a writer myself, David Foster Wallace had completely escaped my radar, as had the writings of David Lipsky.  I thought the movie was presenting great fiction; that this conversation actually took place is even more fascinating.  The film is superb; it is among 2015’s finest.  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆.  25 August 2015.