Don't Think Twice Directing 8

Writing 8

Acting 9 Overall 8.3 Mike Birbiglia writes, directs, and stars in his second feature film Don't Think Twice -- a look at the life of a comedian in New York City. The film has lots of emotions as well as plenty of laughs.

Comedian Mike Birbiglia returns to hollywood for his second feature film, Don’t Think Twice, for which he has written, directed, and started in. The film also features a talented ensemble cast of Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Tami Sagher and Chris Gethard.

Birbiglia’s first foray into film was 2012’s Sleepwalk with Me, which was an autobiographical picture adapted from his standup special of the same name. And while it was an enjoyable movie, it wasn’t anything to write home about. This time around, Birbiglia wrote himself a new character and shifted his focus to an ensemble cast. This turned out to be the best decision he could have made.

The movie still focuses on what Birbiglia’s knows, comedy. Don’t Think Twice looks at the life of six friends who are a part of an improv troupe in New York City. The film follows the group as they struggle with finding their place inside the scary monster that is the New York comedy scene while also finding a balance with the struggles of their personal lives.

The movie is very much a commentary on the current state of comedy. Much of the film focuses on the group trying to land roles on the television show Weekend Live, a satirical version of Saturday Night Live. At times, the message of the movie can come off a little strong, but in general the movie stays grounded and is never too heavy handed.

The cast of this movie is where it really shines. The six stars are all hilarious and all work wonderfully together. Numerous times throughout the movie, we see snippets from the groups’ improv shows. These are some of the funniest moments of the film and it’s great seeing the cast just goofing around together. There are times, however, where some members can be lost in the background and I found myself wishing the move would shift focus and show some more individual moments.

The best part of Don’t Think Twice had to be Keegan-Michael Key and Gillian Jacobs. Most of the major moments of the movie focused on the pair, and they both made the most of it. They had great chemistry together and provided many tender and hilarious moments together. Jacobs’ performance especially was memorable, and she provided the most genuine emotion found in the film.

Don’t Think Twice isn’t breaking any new ground and certainly isn’t the funniest movie of the year. But, it provides a great balance of humor and heart with an amazing cast to fuel it. Don’t Think Twice is still in a limited release, but if you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it.