Don't Think Twice

As a mild comedy nerd it's been hard to ignore the proliferation of comedy and improv shows that have become the new breeding grounds for comedy talent. The Upright Citizen's Brigade has given us the stars of Broad City and the stars of the How Did This Get Made? podcast, while The Meltdown show hosts Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani are each on respected TV shows. However, for every success story, either as a performer or a writer, there are countless unrealized dreams. Don't Think Twice looks at this exact circumstance and wonders, can everyone still be friends?

The movie follows the Commune, a successful but small New York improv troupe. Despite an agreeable, though modest living, the group members are thrilled when a producer from Weekend Live (SNL in everything but name) attends their show looking for new talent. However, when only two members of the troupe are selected for auditions and the troupe's performance space comes under fire, the question remains whether or not the Commune can stay friends, let alone perform together.

So me singing this movie praises won't break new ground...because this movie has a whopping 99 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And it's easy to see why. It's well-written ensemble piece with an honest look at fame, art, and comedy with winning performances from a great cast and has plenty of laughs, insight, and heart to spare.

For comedy nerds this movie is solid gold. It captures the feeling of small scale improv shows, the possible group tension that comes from success, and even issues that currently plague established groups (i.e. losing your performance space to developers). This, combined with a cast with honed improv chops, are the kind of details that bring an added air of authenticity to the movie.

The meat of the film, however, is going through the group's interpersonal dynamics as the success of their friends forces them to examine their issues. Writer/director Mike Birbiglia gives himself the bitter over the hill performer Miles, who is in denial about his talent level and his window of opportunity, Kate Micucci's Allison struggles with follow-through, Tami Sagher's Lindsay wonders if her wealthy background hinders her from true creativity, and Chris Gethard's Bill wonders if he's making progress while struggling with a personal tragedy.

The meatiest performances however are from Keegan Michael-Key and Gillian Jacobs. Key is the best example of the film's even-handed writing, because even though he is achieving a level of personal success the rest of the Commune dream of, the stress, expectations, and guilt are clearly weighing on him. It's rare to see Keegan Michael-Key this restrained and hurt, but this movie gives him a lot of different things to do. The breakout star however, has to be Gillian Jacobs. Not only does she kill the improv sections, despite not being an improv troupe member, but she handles the film's most personal reaction since she is in a relationship with Key's Jack. She clearly has the chops to make it to Weekend Live but there's a part of her that's more interested in the purest form of her art and she's not interested in the limelight. That compromise is one of the underrated elements of massive success and it's perfectly conveyed here.

The thing that shines through, much like Birbiglia's stand-up, is the film's humanity. While we may not like how a character is acting at a particular moment, we understand their perspective and know where it's coming from. If Miles is saying hurtful things, it's clearly borne out of jealousy and years of unfulfilled dreams, which is perfectly understandable.

If there is one thing that's bound to through unfamiliar viewers off, it's the the movie has a lot more emotional material than your average comedy. It's still plenty funny and there are some inspired jokes, but when things turn dramatic it's grounded and real enough to have real impact. It's not for everyone, but for me it was an added charm.

Heartfelt, honest, and hilarious, Don't Think Twice is a simple and highly effective movie. Check this one out on Netflix today.