5) Don’t Think Twice
As a NYC creative type who can’t call himself “young” for too much longer, I can confirm that watching Don’t Think Twice resonates loudly. Mike Birgiblia’s snapshot of a mid-level improv troupe is such an honest portrayal of chasing mile-high dreams that might not come true – specifically in a city like New York. When you reach a certain age, what does selling out even mean when it provides stability? How do you deal with friends who are getting the SNL positions you want, while you watch them from a cruddy apartment couch? Can you really still get laid in your mid-thirties when a plumbing pipe runs over your lofted bed?
Birbiglia’s honesty is equal parts hilarious and devastating, as characters pass out food samples for another week just to raise enough capital until their next performance. It’s the whole “shit or get off the pot” dilemma, told by a cast who embrace every nerve-racking, unanswered question. Keegan Michael-Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, Tami Sagher – all tremendous talents who roll through a host of emotions that can only come from leaving every ounce of passion laid in front of you.
This is one of the year’s most human films, unapologetic in its nature to tell things exactly as they are – because those are the stories that need to be told. Comedy is tragedy, but not everything is as tragic as it seems.
Published: Dec 31, 2016 11:10 am