DON'T THINK TWICE

REVIEWS NO-ONE ASKED FOR
by Ashton Brown

DON'T THINK TWICE

written & directed by Mike Birbiglia 

HILARIOUS. TOUCHING. REAL.

"Let's watch a brainless comedy" I said to my wife on a lazy, rainy Saturday night on the couch. So I scrolled through some online trailers and thought that Don't Think Twice certainly looked enjoyable and brainless enough. I was only half right. What unfolded was some of the most grounded, believable and hilariously touching comedy that I have seen in quite a while.

The story follows a group of improv artists who perform a late night show to reasonable size audience on a weekly basis. They all have aspirations to make it BIG by being scouted to perform or write for 'This Weekend Live' (AKA Saturday Night Live). The story follows these performers as they deal with the reality of some of them being granted with the opportunity to move up in their careers while the rest of them just watch from the sidelines - no less deserving of the success and thus unable to escape the bitterness and jealousy that naturally arises even when they are happy for the success of others.

The thing that makes this film soar so well is the brilliance of the cast. Mike Birbiglia has assembled an extremely talented group of performers (himself included) who carry the comedy and the reality and the drama with completely honesty. Special mention to Gillian Jacobs and Keegan-Michael Key as the members of the group who are also dealing with dating one another on top of all the other situations that struggling to be an artist in your 30s brings about.

Perhaps as a comedian and performer myself I found the story particularly poignant. It never glamorises the fame or the success nor does it suggest that one path is necessarily better than the others. What it does do is show a very honest look into the struggles of artists in a world where there are very few places for many, many talents. It portrays the difficulties of watching those around you gain the success that you too deserve but also the difficulties on being the ones who have the success when you are no more deserving than your peers.

Also it's hilarious. But it isn't brainless. It's beautiful.

4 out of 5  

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