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| Mike Birbiglia in Sleepwalk With Me |
Welcome to Alternative to What: a weekly column that tries to find a great alternative to driving to the multiplexes. Based on releases of that week, the selections will either be thematically related or feature recurring cast and crew. The goal is to help you better understand the diversity of cinema and hopefully find you some favorites while saving a few bucks. At worse, this column will save you money. Expect each installment to come out on Fridays, unless specified.
THIS WEEK:
Sleepwalk With Me (2012)
- Alternative To -
Entertainment (2015)
There are a few general types of people when it comes to cinema. The first is the most obvious. It's the one who watches movies simply to be entertained. Then there are those who see it as an art form, only wanting something ambitious to happen on screen. Then there are those who want to provoke and create something challenging. It's something that is guaranteed to annoy a general section of the audience. However, it's still important to have in a society, especially to keep things from ever getting too conventional. In a lot of respects, director Rick Alverson's latest, Entertainment, is just that. It's meant to annoy you. It's also meant to take the subject of the American Dream and exploit it as being hollow and unproductive. The results are just as problematic as you'd think.
That is why it is difficult to recommend just one thing this week. There's not really any desire to make this a column dedicated towards recommending films that will bother people. This is more of a field to make great movies more recognized to general audiences. In this case, I have chosen to tackle a different take on the struggling stand-up. In fact, it's arguably one of the better examples of the subject to come out in the past few years. Director and star Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk With Me is a candid and funny film about becoming a renowned comic while also dealing with family and a few medical issues. Thankfully, it's more lovable than this would inherently suggest.
For those who are dedicated This American Life listeners, it is likely that you know the story of Birbiglia's sleepwalking problems. He made it into a comedy album, even touring with it as a big production. He is a great story teller, and to experience in audio and in visual formats thankfully create enough of a difference that the only thing ruined by experiencing the film is that you know how it's going to end. Thankfully, he's a good enough actor and has enough of a solid cast to compensate. It's not the deepest film, but Birbiglia's heart makes it definitely one of the sweet tales of failure.
That is why it is difficult to recommend just one thing this week. There's not really any desire to make this a column dedicated towards recommending films that will bother people. This is more of a field to make great movies more recognized to general audiences. In this case, I have chosen to tackle a different take on the struggling stand-up. In fact, it's arguably one of the better examples of the subject to come out in the past few years. Director and star Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk With Me is a candid and funny film about becoming a renowned comic while also dealing with family and a few medical issues. Thankfully, it's more lovable than this would inherently suggest.
For those who are dedicated This American Life listeners, it is likely that you know the story of Birbiglia's sleepwalking problems. He made it into a comedy album, even touring with it as a big production. He is a great story teller, and to experience in audio and in visual formats thankfully create enough of a difference that the only thing ruined by experiencing the film is that you know how it's going to end. Thankfully, he's a good enough actor and has enough of a solid cast to compensate. It's not the deepest film, but Birbiglia's heart makes it definitely one of the sweet tales of failure.
What makes it work is that Birbiglia is candid and able to make simple observations into humorous anecdotes. Unlike on stage, he has actors who are able to perform alongside him in a manner that feels more collaborative and engaging. Even if this still feels genuinely like Birbiglia's story, its group effort allows for the universe created to feel fully populated and lively. It may not revolutionize the stand-up comedy story, but it definitely will provide a good time for those looking for a story that's full of life and sweetness. If this doesn't work for you, don't be afraid to check out his comedy albums. I assure you that his recent output is full of gems, including "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" from a few years back.
Entertainment may not be the first film to tackle the struggles of stand-up comedy. It's likely not even going to be considered one of the greats, largely because of its challenging nature. However, it still is a film worthy of existence - for it is able to capture the downside in such a powerful and painful way. I understand that it isn't for everyone, and thus it makes more sense for me to recommend a happier alternative to that. I assure you that Sleepwalk With Me doesn't end with a down note, but a few personal triumphs. It's also very funny, so you don't have to worry about that. Birbiglia's great at making personal failure funny. I hope that this isn't the first time you've heard that. If it is, just get acquainted with his work. You'll be thankful you did.
Entertainment may not be the first film to tackle the struggles of stand-up comedy. It's likely not even going to be considered one of the greats, largely because of its challenging nature. However, it still is a film worthy of existence - for it is able to capture the downside in such a powerful and painful way. I understand that it isn't for everyone, and thus it makes more sense for me to recommend a happier alternative to that. I assure you that Sleepwalk With Me doesn't end with a down note, but a few personal triumphs. It's also very funny, so you don't have to worry about that. Birbiglia's great at making personal failure funny. I hope that this isn't the first time you've heard that. If it is, just get acquainted with his work. You'll be thankful you did.
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