"While We're Young" is a bit of a departure for writer-director Noah Baumbach.

It's is one of his more mainstream movies.That's not to say the comedy is filling up the screening rooms at the multiplex. No, you'll still find Baumbach's latest at the art house, independent film and foreign film venues.Still, "While We're Young" has a discernable plot and a storyline that is more accessible than in many of Baumbach's previous movies.Baumbach is noted for such meandering fare as "Kicking and Screaming" (1995), his similarly more mainstream "Mr. Jealousy" (1997), the semi-autobiographical "The Squid and the Whale" (2005), "Margo at the Wedding" (2007), his previous Ben Stiller collaboration, "Greenberg" (2010), and his writing collaboration with girlfriend Greta Gerwig, "Francis Ha" (2012).Baumbach is an acquired taste, like, for example, black olives. He soon becomes a preference. That's because he has a standup-comedy-like analytical take on the minutiae of life. He sees, whereas we look. He listens whereas we hear."While We're Young" tackles three topics ripe for the picking: the travails of the documentary and independent filmmaking scene in an era of incessant cell cam digital image recording, the disillusionment of married life in the 21st century and, perhaps most interestingly, the contrast and conflict between Generation X-ers (those now in their 40s) and Millennialists (those now in their 20s).In "While We're Young," Josh (Ben Stiller) is a struggling filmmaker who's been working on a documentary about a socio-economic theoretician (Peter Yarrow) for at least four years with little to show for it but a lot of semi-edited footage by Tim (Matthew Maher), whom he can't pay.Cornelia (Naomi Watts) is his not so understanding wife who seems to be the couple's breadwinner and whose father Leslie (Charles Grodin) is a successful documentary filmmaker.Josh and Cornelia don't fit in with their married couple friends, Marina (Maria Dizzia) and Fletcher (Adam Horovitz), who are new parents.Darby (Amanda Seyfried) and Jamie (Adam Driver), a younger married couple, meet Josh when they sit in on the college film class he teaches.The younger couple seems like a lot of fun, reminding Josh and Cornelia of the fun and excitement they once shared. However, problems arise when Jamie seems to be using his friendship with Josh to befriend his father-in-law, Leslie."While We're Young" is a character study, a sketchy comedy, a reality-TV-like take on several couples that really aren't very likable. If you can get past your initial disdain for the characters (which you need to do with many of Baumbach's films), you'll enjoy the film on its own, mostly unforgiving, terms.At the beginning of the film, title cards quote dialogue from Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's "The Master Builder" (1892). The underlying theme that pride comes before a fall is certainly evident in "While We're Young."Josh, through the flattery of the striving Jamie (shades of a male "All About Eve," 1950) and the charms of Darby, almost unravels what appears to be a rather solid marriage with Cornelia. Through it all, the importance of family over that of career is emphasized in Baumbach's screenplay.With "While We're Young," Baumbach cautions that life comes at you pretty fast and can soon pass you by if you go chasing after the chimera of career only.This is a film of dramatic regrets, disguised as comedy."While We're Young," MPAA Rated R (Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.) for language; Genre: Comedy, Drama; Run time: 1 hr., 47 min. Distributed by A24Credit Readers Anonymous: In "While We're Young," director-writer Peter Bogdanovich has a cameo as a speaker introducing the filmmaker (Charles Grodin).Box Office, April 24: "Furious 7" continued to shut down the competition, with $18.2 million, $320.5 million, good for No. 1 again, now four weeks in a row, keeping "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2," at No. 2, with $15.5 million, $43.9 million, two weeks and relegating "The Age of Adaline" to open at No. 3 with $13.3 million."The Hunger Games," in March-April 2012, was the last movie that was No. 1 four weeks in a row.4. "Home," $8.3 million, $153.7 million, five weeks, 5."Unfriended," $6.2 million, $25.1 million, two weeks; 6. "Ex Machina," $5.4 million, $6.9 million, three weeks; 7. "The Longest Ride," $4.3 million, $30.3 million, three weeks; 8. "Get Hard," $3.9 million, $84 million, five weeks; 9. "The Monkey Kingdom," $3.5 million, $10.2 million, two weeks; 10. "Woman in Gold," $3.5 million, $21.6 million, four weeks;Unreel, May 1:"Avengers: Age Of Ultron," PG-13: Robert Downey Jr. is back as Tony Stark aka Iron Man, as is a star-studded cast, including Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Chris Banner-Hulk), Chris Evans (Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), James Spader (as the voice of Ultron), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Anthony Mackie, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Delpy, Andy Serkis, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hayley Atwell, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen and Don Cheadle. Joss Whedon directs the science-fiction adventure movie, which already has grossed $201.2 million overseas."Far From the Madding Crowd," PG-13: Carey Mulligan stars as Bathsheba Everdene, protagonist in the adaptation of the 19th century Thomas Hardy novel. Tom Sturridge, Matthias Schoenaerts and Juno Temple co-star in the drama."Welcome to Me," R: A woman wins the Mega-Million jackpot and produces her own talk show. Kristen Wiig and James Marsden star in the comedy.Read Paul Willistein's movie reviews at the Lehigh Valley Press website, thelehighvalley-press.com; the Times News website, tnonline.com; and hear them on "Lehigh Valley Art Salon," 6-6:30 p.m. Mondays, WDIY 88.1 FM, wdiy.org, where the movie reviews are archived. Email Paul Willistein: pwillistein@ tnonline. com. Follow Paul Willistein on Twitter @PaulWillistein and friend Paul Willistein on Facebook.Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes