Nothing in life is easy, but it seems like stand-up comedy has its own higher level of difficulty. The constant failure. The enormous amount of pressure to be great. The need to persevere and make it work. The ecstasy and joy felt when you get it right. In a lot of ways, stand-up comedy is a lot like love. At least, that's what I got out of Mike Birbiglia's first feature film, Sleepwalk With Me.
Based on his one man show of the same name, Sleepwalk with Me is about his real life relationship with his girlfriend and the beginnings of his stand-up career. Birbiglia plays Matt Pandamiglio, a man who would like to do stand-up for a living, but instead works as a bartender at a comedy club. He's only just moved in with his girlfriend of eight years, Abby, and there's pressure mounting from all sides for him to commit to her in a bigger way. But when his stand-up career begins to blossom with gigs all across the East, Matt has to reexamine what he wants in life, and what that means to the things he already has.
Because it is based on his stand-up show, if you've heard his material before, you'll know what's going to happen in the film for the most part. Does it take away from the impact of the film? Maybe just a little. But not enough to keep the raw emotion and brutal honesty from affecting you. While his stand-up has its more delicate moments, his routine is primarily light-hearted, relatable, and goofy. The film differs in this way, because while it's truly funny and identifiable, the serious moments share equal time on screen. In fact, the sleepwalking sequences, which are nothing but hilarious in his stand-up, have a tinge of sadness in the film since you know how desperate he's feeling about the way his life is going. That's what the film does so well; it provides context to all the stories Birbiglia's told before, allowing them to have a gravity not previously understood.
Another thing Birbiglia does extremely well is show us the inside world of not only stand up comedy, but of the stand up comedian. Very similar to FX's universally acclaimed Louis, this film shows us the not so laugh-out-loud moments of a comedian's life, and how real life problems influence better comedy. It also shows us how beginning stand-up comedians (and even some well established ones) live while they're on the road, drinking beer, eating pizza, watching Mitch Hedburg specials, and sharing stories of their travels. Because it's all based on Birbiglia's experiences, it feels very similar to the documentary The Comedians of Comedy. This shows just how true to life the world Birbiglia has crafted. All of this attention to realism allows Birbiglia's growth as a stand-up to really be appreciated. As his stand-up becomes more personal, it gets funnier, and you feel yourself rooting for him to become the comedian he strives to be.
To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/sleepwalk-with-me/
Based on his one man show of the same name, Sleepwalk with Me is about his real life relationship with his girlfriend and the beginnings of his stand-up career. Birbiglia plays Matt Pandamiglio, a man who would like to do stand-up for a living, but instead works as a bartender at a comedy club. He's only just moved in with his girlfriend of eight years, Abby, and there's pressure mounting from all sides for him to commit to her in a bigger way. But when his stand-up career begins to blossom with gigs all across the East, Matt has to reexamine what he wants in life, and what that means to the things he already has.
Because it is based on his stand-up show, if you've heard his material before, you'll know what's going to happen in the film for the most part. Does it take away from the impact of the film? Maybe just a little. But not enough to keep the raw emotion and brutal honesty from affecting you. While his stand-up has its more delicate moments, his routine is primarily light-hearted, relatable, and goofy. The film differs in this way, because while it's truly funny and identifiable, the serious moments share equal time on screen. In fact, the sleepwalking sequences, which are nothing but hilarious in his stand-up, have a tinge of sadness in the film since you know how desperate he's feeling about the way his life is going. That's what the film does so well; it provides context to all the stories Birbiglia's told before, allowing them to have a gravity not previously understood.
Another thing Birbiglia does extremely well is show us the inside world of not only stand up comedy, but of the stand up comedian. Very similar to FX's universally acclaimed Louis, this film shows us the not so laugh-out-loud moments of a comedian's life, and how real life problems influence better comedy. It also shows us how beginning stand-up comedians (and even some well established ones) live while they're on the road, drinking beer, eating pizza, watching Mitch Hedburg specials, and sharing stories of their travels. Because it's all based on Birbiglia's experiences, it feels very similar to the documentary The Comedians of Comedy. This shows just how true to life the world Birbiglia has crafted. All of this attention to realism allows Birbiglia's growth as a stand-up to really be appreciated. As his stand-up becomes more personal, it gets funnier, and you feel yourself rooting for him to become the comedian he strives to be.
To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: http://custodianfilmcritic.com/sleepwalk-with-me/