Do not count "The End of the Tour" out as one of the best movies of the year

Ty's VCR is ready for all the great movies of 2015

As 2015 comes to a close, I've been catching up on all the big time movies that I couldn't see in the theaters. One such movie I just watched was "The End of The Tour" and man, this movie is incredible.

The movie is about a Rolling Stone writer, David Lipsky(Jesse Eisenberg) interviewing author, David Foster Wallace(Jason Segel). At least, the synopsis of the movie states that it's about the interview, but the movie is more about the relationship between the two men leading up to the interview in Rolling Stone. The movie opens with an older Lipsky receiving a phone call from a former colleague saying that David Foster Wallace has committed suicide. Lipsky is stunned and upset at this news. He immediately goes to his storage and grabs his old Walkman and a box of cassette tapes. He plays one of the tapes and you hear David Foster Wallace talking. We then cut back to 1996 where a younger Lipsky is giving a reading of his newly published book. He has also just landed a job at Rolling Stone. He's high on what he assumes will be his newfound fame, but all the people at the party, including his girlfriend, are only talking about this new book called "Infinite Jest" , and how it may be the greatest book ever written. Lipsky is annoyed, but then he goes home and on the urging from his girlfriend, he reads "Infinite Jest" and is enthralled. He can't help but admit that this is one of, if not the, greatest book he's ever read. He persuades his editor to let him go on the end of Wallace's book tour and interview him. Rolling Stone has never interviewed a writer before, so why not start with the biggest fish in the pond. He agrees and Lipsky is off to Bloomington, Indiana.

When he first arrives at Wallace's house, he's met by two large black Labradors and Wallace emerges from the front door. At first sight, Wallace is very stand offish and hard to crack. He doesn't seem to want to say too much. It doesn't help that Lipsky is always turning on his recorder so he can capture every moment. Wallace, at least at first, seems like an introvert. He doesn't seem to like the fame. He almost begrudges the fact that he has become this big time author. But, the more he gets to know Lipsky, the more a friendship evolves. They opine over food, TV and girls. Wallace loves his junk food, be it candy, fast food or any type of sweets. He also claims to be addicted to TV. He doesn't own one because he says that he'd constantly have it on. He wouldn't watch it, but it would always be on just to have noise in the background. He also says that he would want a wife and kids someday, just not now. He becomes very open with Lipsky. He has let his guard down right before they go out for the final leg of his book tour. The two of them have very long, very deep conversations involving everything from food to writing. They are becoming legitimate friends. This angers Lipsky's editor. He wants him to get the story and come home to write it. He specifically tells him to "not become friends" with Wallace. Lipsky ignores this and continues recording their conversations and continues to be friendly. They pack their bags and fly to Minneapolis, the last leg of Wallace's tour. At first, everything is going great. Not only is Wallace being open with Lipsky, but he's being open with everyone. Interviewers, fans and even his driver. He's nice to everyone. At one point though, Wallace sees Lipsky getting some love from his fans and he looks a bit miffed. Even later, while hanging out with some of Wallace's college friends, one which he briefly dated, Wallace becomes even more angry and annoyed with Lipsky. He feels that Lipsky is openly flirting with his ex girlfriend right in front of his face. This causes a big bone of contention between the two and Wallace completely shuts down. He won't talk to Lipsky anymore and he's back to his introverted self. They fly back to Indiana and get their rental. On the ride back to Wallace's house, the two men air their grievances and get it all out. This fight actually brings these two closer. The day before Lipsky is set to return home, the two of them just hang out. They're eating McDonalds, talking about life and Wallace's phone rings. He gets a call from a friend to go out dancing. As much as he wants to stay, Lipsky has to catch his flight home. Before he leaves, there's a moment when Wallace is outside cleaning the snow off his car, Lipsky has a few minutes to look over his house and he takes it all in, recording everything he sees. By the time he reaches his basement, he's amazed at everything he's seen, but the writing room takes the cake. It's totally dark and has only a single computer. Lipsky is shocked that such a great writer lives so minimalist. Wallace doesn't need the fanciest computer, desk or office, he just needs his computer. When leaving, Lipksy gives him his book, begrudgingly, and asks him to give him some notes. Wallace says he will, but with most people in his life, he doesn't follow through. We then cut to Lipsky giving a reading at Wallace's "funeral". It's moving and heart breaking at the same time.

This movie has all the potential to be a classic. And, Jason Segel is absolutely phenomenal as David Foster Wallace. Segel usually plays the over the top goofy guy, but in "The End of The Tour", he's a revelation. He inherits all of Wallace's mannerisms and the way he carries himself and how he talks. It's as if Wallace has come back to life. Eisenberg was very good too, but Segel is the true star of this movie. I would be shocked if he doesn't get an Oscar nomination for this movie. I love this movie, but, by no means am I going to read "Infinite Jest". I don't have the time to read an 1,100 page book. This movie had all the information on David Foster Wallace that I could ever ask for. If you want, read "Infinite Jest", but a better way to spend your time, in my opinion, and learn about David Foster Wallace, watch "The End of The Tour'. It's less than two hours and told me what "Infinite Jest" was about. I love this movie and I can't recommend it enough.

Check it out.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He does not have time to read a 1000+ page book because he needs his hours to watch good movies. Urge him to read "Infinte Jest" by following Ty on twitter @tykulik.