The End of the Tour

The year was 1996, and David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) was the toast of the literary world, thanks to his monolithic postmodern masterpiece Infinite Jest. Driven by personal admiration—and more than a little professional jealousy—Rolling Stone journalist David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) pitches his editors on a long-form piece on the hot young author of the moment. The reporter flies out to Bloomington, Indiana, to meet up with Wallace and accompany him on the last leg of a long book tour. Over the next five days, the two writers hit the road, subsisting on junk food, an endless supply of cigarettes and even more endless supply of argumentative philosophical conversation. By the end of the trip, both men seem unsure of whether a tentative friendship has formed or not—and both men know that their lives have been changed forever. Part dual character study and part passive-aggressive buddy comedy, James Ponsoldt’s adaptation of Lipsky’s 2008 book on the experience details the duo’s time together with wit, insight and a profound sense of ambivalence about the price of fame. Anchored by a quietly affecting portrayal of Wallace by Jason Segel, James Ponsoldt’s moody chamber piece is a thoughtful and moving exploration of the complications of craft, ambition, creativity and friendship. —David Fear