GREENBERG (15).

Comedy. Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Chris Messina, Jennifer Jason Leigh. Director: Noah Baumbach.

Misery loves company – our company – in writer-director Noah Baumbach’s deeply depressing character study, based on a story conceived with his wife, actress Jennifer Jason Leigh.

The film provides funny man Ben Stiller with a rare opportunity to prove himself as an actor.

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Unfortunately, the gifted comedian doesn’t possess the emotional range to embody his nuanced role with conviction, undermining sterling work from the rest of the cast.

Co-star Greta Gerwig, one of the leading lights of the low-budget, indie film circuit, leads the way with a sweet, charming and at times heartbreaking performance that reveals the chinks in her character’s brittle armour.

Regrettably the focal point of the film is Roger Greenberg (Stiller), a 40-year-old malcontent who walked away from a recording contract and potential fame and fortune with his band, Magic Marker.

Roger is the sort of deeply disagreeable man who telephones an airline to complain about a malfunctioning recliner button on one of the seats.

He moves temporarily to Los Angeles to house-sit for his brother Phillip (Messina) and keep an eye on the family dog.

Phillip’s personal assistant Florence (Gerwig), raw from a recent break-up, pops in daily to run errands and is strangely drawn to Roger. The pair begin an off-on romance that does them more harm than good.

Meanwhile, Roger rebuilds bridges with former band-mate, Ivan (Ifans), and tries to motivate himself to build a dog kennel.

Greenberg is unremittingly bleak and the central character doesn’t have one likeable facet.

Why a beautiful young woman like Florence, emotionally wounded though she may be, would give him one glance let alone two is a mystery.

The end of this 107-minute therapy session cannot come quickly enough.