DON'T THINK TWICE: You Only Laugh Once

Director: Mike Birbiglia
Writer: Mike Birbiglia
Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, Tami Sagher
Runtime: 92 mins.
2016

I expected Don't Think Twice to be a goofy little movie. It's a film about improv, so I anticipated a lot of funny jokes and a fair amount of charisma. What I did not expect was for this film to be emotionally devastating.

The story follows six comedians who together make up a successful improv troupe called The Commune. Unfortunately, their venue is closing down, so The Commune as they know it will either have to adapt or die. This means something different to each of the characters, as they all have their own personal drama to contend with. Jack (Keegan Michael-Key) is driven to transcend the improv community by becoming a member of Weekend Live, a transitional process which alienates him from his friends. Sam (Gillian Jacobs) has the potential to be on the same trajectory as Jack, whom she has been dating for a while, but she is in danger of squandering that potential because she feels uncertain about her path. Miles (Mike Birbiglia), on the other hand, does not have that same potential, and refuses to admit it to himself despite continuous failed attempts to rise up in the comedy world. Bill (Chris Gethard) is mourning the death of his father and trying to find renewed meaning in life. Allison (Kate Micucci) dreams of publishing graphic novels, but fears appraisal of her work. And Lindsay (Tami Sagher), whose wealthy parents preclude her from ever having to work a real job, is in a weed-scented rut.

Alone, any one of these narratives would make for a functional if not original film about artistic aspirations. Birbiglia is careful about showing us, sometimes subtly and sometimes not, every step of these characters' journeys, and every arc is dramatically sound. But the real beauty of the film comes from the intertwining of these arcs. Everyone's personal drama feeds back into the group dynamic and significantly affects the way that The Commune, the seventh character, develops. With each character's personal baggage influencing the trajectory of the group, it almost feels like a low-stakes Avengers movie, except that Don't Think Twice is so personal and earnest that the stakes feel far higher than any superhero shenanigans.


Improv at its core is about cooperation and hive mind, so it makes sense that a major theme of this film would be the individual vs. the collective (note again that the group's name is The Commune). Birbiglia weaves these threads expertly, and every collective beat feels as true and earned as every individual beat. On a dramatic level, Don't Think Twice is pristine. Yet it also has the benefit of being an incisive study on a distinct and particular comedy subculture: the world of the improviser. Having been involved in an improv troupe for the last year or so, I watched Birbiglia's portrayal of the inner and outer life of this group with great fascination. Every once in a blue moon a thread stuck out as a bit forced (are audience members really that awful and on the nose?), but otherwise it felt true to me, and seeing it from the outside gave me insights. There's a particular way groups of comedians interact with each other. Every aspect of their communicative life is mediated by comedy and filtered through bits that are instantly latched onto by the others in the conversation. It's almost like a regional dialect. Comedy's domination of discourse only breaks when something serious needs to be dealt with, at which point you can clearly see the characters switching registers.

None of this would properly come across if Birbiglia hadn't assembled a talented stable of performers. I'm sure you recognize at least a few of them from their previous comedic work (especially Key, whose casting in this role is a sly bit of commentary on Key and Peele's whirlwind success), and they use that experience to strong effect. The movie is funny, and they always feel like a cohesive improv group. But the film also gives them a chance to flex their dramatic muscles, an opportunity that comes far too seldom for comic actors. The performances are understated, with dramatic shifts happening behind subtle gazes. The standout is Gillian Jacobs, whose arc in many ways is the centerpiece of the screenplay. Having only seen her in Community, I was pleased to watch her paint a character with depth and nuance. We see her communication style, coping mechanisms, desires, and fears, all culminating in a beautiful, vulnerable onstage climax.

Just like the tone that Don't Think Twice strikes, Birbiglia's directorial footprint is understated as well. He avoids anything cinematically flashy, but every scene is perfectly framed to capture the relevant gestures that the narrative requires. It's no-nonsense, high-function filmmaking. Of particular note is the editing by Geoffrey Richman. It would have been perfectly sensible for a movie that involves hanging out with a bunch of improvisers to adopt the tenets of mumblecore, an indie genre which tends to shoot a bunch of rambling scenes in which characters interact that may or may not have a point to them. But rather than bloating itself, like those movies often do, the editing strips all the fluff away, making each scene only exactly as long as it needs to be, sometimes even cutting scenes short for dramatic effect. This breezy style propels us through the movie, and makes each successive character beat all the more powerful for its clarity. Like most great films, Don't Think Twice carves out an emotional thoroughfare that the audience trickles down.

I'm happy for Mike Birbiglia.* Not in the sense that white men need any more success and acclaim, but in the sense that Don't Think Twice shows Birbiglia transcending that social position to make art that is earnest, diverse, and universal in its reach. This film doesn't reinvent the wheel of how to craft a subtle indie character drama, but the specificity of its craft and message make it a special commentary on the impermanence of good comedy and good relationships.

*He already made my absolute favorite stand-up comedy special, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend, so it's fitting that he has now made one of my favorite movies.

4 / 5  BLOBS