Hello Enthusiasts,
While I don't regularly do movie reviews, this is one I felt I needed to cover. Sleepwalk With Me is a 2012 Sundance Award winning film from stand-up comedian Mike Birbiglia. As you can guess, it is a comedy, but there's a good deal of drama involved as well. The film can be funny at times, and almost heartbreaking at others.
In being up-front, I have a strong bias for this movie. I have been following Birbiglia for a while now and I attended the limited theatrical release for this film.
The film follows Mike Birbiglia (named Matt Pandamiglio) as he strives to become a successful stand-up comedian, while dealing with other stresses in his life, such as getting engaged (without getting engaged). This strain ends up leading to Matt sleepwalking, a problem which he consistently puts off dealing with. The movie is based off of a stand-up special that Birbiglia performed, the book to go with it, and all of that is based off of his real-life experiences.
Again, I have a bias, but I know I'm not the only one who really enjoyed this film (hence the Sundance award). Every character, especially our main character Matt, is flawed and human, nobody is that perfect person who has the right answers. The idea of chasing your dreams, no matter how rough the road is, can be powerful. However, the movie addresses not pushing yourself recklessly forward, or else you too may end up mostly-naked on the lawn of a La Quinta Inn in Walla Walla, Washington. The acting is outstanding, it all seems very sincere. Matt is not exactly a great guy, but he's relatable. I think we've all had those nights where we're eating a pizza, watching the news, talking on the phone, and checking our emails simultaneously until late at night.
Now, this is an independent film, and it does show. Not a lot of money was able to go into this production, but it luckily didn't need too much, and it uses what it has well. However, there are some scenes that don't deliver on the comedy or the drama, it's just characters talking about everyday stuff that doesn't really contribute to the overall story. While I understand and can appreciate normal conversations in films (I like Tarantino films too), I feel like this can seem a bit out of place with the rest of the movie. However, these scenes don't usually last too long, and the movie falls right back in to its rhythm.
If you're someone who finds awkward situational comedies to be more uncomfortable that funny, I would say that you may want to steer clear of this one, as Birbiglia is generally just an awkward guy all around. However, if you have 81 minutes free and want to watch a lesser-known comedy, Sleepwalk With Me might be just what you're looking for.
I give Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk With Me a 9 out of 10
Sincerely,
The Bored Enthusiast
No comments:
Post a Comment