When a member of a popular New York City improv troupe gets a huge break, the rest of the group - all best friends - start to realize that not everyone is going to make it after all.
A burgeoning stand-up comedian struggles with the stress of a stalled career, a stale relationship, and the wild spurts of severe sleepwalking he is desperate to ignore.
Directors:
Mike Birbiglia,
Seth Barrish
Stars:
Mike Birbiglia,
Lauren Ambrose,
James Rebhorn
A few years ago my therapist suggested I keep a journal of the awkward moments occurring in my life. Around the same time audiences were demanding more material, so I started sending this ... See full summary »
A man from Los Angeles, who moved to New York years ago, returns to L.A. to figure out his life while he house-sits for his brother. He soon sparks with his brother's assistant.
Director:
Noah Baumbach
Stars:
Ben Stiller,
Greta Gerwig,
Jennifer Jason Leigh
JACK (Keegan Michael Key) & his girlfriend Samantha (Gillian Jacobs) are a perfect couple who are also Teammates on a popular improv group that perform at a struggling comedy spot in NYC. Together, the team has a family like bond but individually they have their personal dreams of being on the weekly television show "This Weekend Live".Written by
inhollywoodtv
"Weekend Live" is a fictional version of NBC's "Saturday Night Live", where majority of its performers and writers are alumni of improvisation groups. See more »
Goofs
When Bill reads a Huffington Post article about Jack's casting, it explains that Daniel Radcliffe will be hosting the season premiere. When Lindsay reads a LaughSpin article, it says Ben Stiller will be hosting the season premiere. When the season premiere finally occurs, Lena Dunham hosts. See more »
Quotes
Samantha:
Del Close once said watching great improv is like watching people put the plane together when they're already in the sky.
See more »
Crazy Credits
After thanking The Upright Citizens Brigade theater and The Second City, there's a note saying "Thank youuuuuu" referencing the movie's running gag about Bill's father. See more »
"Don't Think Twice" is a real, heartfelt dramedy about a improv comedy troupe named "The Communes". The film begins after this troupe has been going for maybe over a decade, and all of its members are in their 30s and still have day jobs to get by (except for Lindsay, who has rich parents). The film starts with their preparation for a show, and it shows their connection to each other.
Improv comedy is about the group, as one of the three rules in the beginning of the film states, but this film is about each character, and how they let go of the group and move on. Unlike many comedy films today, the comedy in the film is character based, and since the characters are the main focus of the film, the comedy is intertwined with every scene. It isn't a film that has "jokes" necessarily, but its a film about funny moments because of the interaction between the characters, which is very similar to improv.
As stated in the beginning of the film, there is no losing in improv. Even as they fall, they can make it good on the way down, and they do that in real life and in their improv towards the beginning of the film. The problems begin to arise when the rules they could follow so easily before begin to fall apart. They said it was all about the group, but they can't progress in their career and get on "Weekend Live" (an obvious jab at SNL) if they don't worry only about themselves. They can't say yes to everything if they have to look out for themselves first. They have to think first if they're doing written material.
The highlight of the film is its performances and writing, but it is a visually interesting film in some regards. Scenes are shot with care and attention to the state of the characters. For instance, there is one scene in which Samantha is doing her last improv show alone, and during her performance she realizes that, even though she loves them, she likes being away from her troupe, and especially Jack. The scene is shot closer to her face and with a mire shallow depth of view as it progresses and she becomes more satisfied with her independence.
So, obviously the group begins to fall apart after Jack goes to "Weekend Live", but they end up accepting their maturity and realizing the only way they could keep the group together is to let each person do what's best for themselves.
This is the kind of film Judd Apatow wants to make: it isn't shot boringly, the comedy is real, the characters are relatable, and the drama doesn't feel forced.
44 of 55 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
"Don't Think Twice" is a real, heartfelt dramedy about a improv comedy troupe named "The Communes". The film begins after this troupe has been going for maybe over a decade, and all of its members are in their 30s and still have day jobs to get by (except for Lindsay, who has rich parents). The film starts with their preparation for a show, and it shows their connection to each other.
Improv comedy is about the group, as one of the three rules in the beginning of the film states, but this film is about each character, and how they let go of the group and move on. Unlike many comedy films today, the comedy in the film is character based, and since the characters are the main focus of the film, the comedy is intertwined with every scene. It isn't a film that has "jokes" necessarily, but its a film about funny moments because of the interaction between the characters, which is very similar to improv.
As stated in the beginning of the film, there is no losing in improv. Even as they fall, they can make it good on the way down, and they do that in real life and in their improv towards the beginning of the film. The problems begin to arise when the rules they could follow so easily before begin to fall apart. They said it was all about the group, but they can't progress in their career and get on "Weekend Live" (an obvious jab at SNL) if they don't worry only about themselves. They can't say yes to everything if they have to look out for themselves first. They have to think first if they're doing written material.
The highlight of the film is its performances and writing, but it is a visually interesting film in some regards. Scenes are shot with care and attention to the state of the characters. For instance, there is one scene in which Samantha is doing her last improv show alone, and during her performance she realizes that, even though she loves them, she likes being away from her troupe, and especially Jack. The scene is shot closer to her face and with a mire shallow depth of view as it progresses and she becomes more satisfied with her independence.
So, obviously the group begins to fall apart after Jack goes to "Weekend Live", but they end up accepting their maturity and realizing the only way they could keep the group together is to let each person do what's best for themselves.
This is the kind of film Judd Apatow wants to make: it isn't shot boringly, the comedy is real, the characters are relatable, and the drama doesn't feel forced.