DON’T THINK TWICE – Review

It’s not easy being thirty. At least that seems like the case for Mike Birbiglia. The comedian, actor, writer, and now director isn’t quite at the level of Eeyore, but he’s definitely one of indie cinema’s recent favorite sad sacks. A consistent theme in his work is a male character (always himself) self-analyzing his life and career and pining after the “shoulda been me” moments that could have propelled his career. Part of this introspection is centered around how the thirties is ultimately the final nail in your budding professional career. At that point you might as well turn off the microphone and settle down into a life of domesticity. Well… at least in the eyes of Birbiglia.

I admit that I wasn’t much of a fan of his previous film – the directorial debut SLEEPWALK WITH ME. It’s consistent down beat tone became a slog to get through. His follow up, DON’T THINK TWICE, doesn’t let Birbiglia bring down the festivities as much. Thankfully, he places himself in an ensemble filled with characters going through their own personal highs and lows, making it a team effort in the drama department.

Given the nature of the team’s work though, the laughs come in just as frequently as the earnest moments. DON’T THINK TWICE follows an improve group that consists of Miles (Birbigilia), Jack (Keegan Michael-Key), Sam (Gillian Jacobs), Bill (Chris Gethard), Allison (Kate Micucci), and Lindsay (Tami Sagher). Success for this group is the notierity that comes with getting a role on Weekend Live (basically Saturday Night Live). When a talent scout from the tv show comes to one of their live shows and asks for two of the six members to audition, the bond that held the group together begins to come undone.

The quirky charm of the group is immediately infectious. Birbiglia clearly knows this world and liberally focuses his lens on the training and artistry that goes into each and every stage performance. As they point out, everything is always conceived in the moment, and these moments that take place on stage are pure magic. These scenes are given room to breathe and slowly build, just like they would if you were seated in front of this live performance.

However, several later moments are a little too brief to the point that they aren’t exploring the emotional weight of the scene enough. For instance, a restaurant scene involving Birbiglia discussing the name of an unborn child that he wants to help raise feels stunted by having to make room for the turning points in other character’s lives. While some of these later emotional beats seem slightly too brief, the time spent with these characters thus far will still keep you emotionally invested as they painfully struggle for the next step in each of their careers.

Where the film succeeds the most is as an examination of the artistic process. Beginning with a historical look at the founders of improv places the group’s work as a true form of art. Furthermore, watching these characters study YouTube clips for impersonations and practicing voices in their spare time highlights the hard work that goes on off the stage (even if the voices become a bit exhausting). DON’T THINK TWICE soars when it focuses on how your craft can be strengthened with the help of those around you. Just like in life, improv is not a solo mission – there are always those who will “have your back.” I’m not sure if Birbiglia is pondering whether the strength of your craft begins to dwindle over time or if its your overall passion to keep grinding along. Either way, I like to think that the creative process doesn’t haven an expiration date.

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

DON’T THINK TWICE opens at St. Louis’ Landmark Tivoli theater on Friday, August 12