For those of you not familiar with the standup of
Mike Birbiglia, it’s definitely worth checking out. His act is living proof that some of the best
comedy comes from real-life situations.
When he performs he evokes a sort of everyman quality that makes him
rather likeable to the audience. On a
side note, during his performances I’ve always had the feeling that the person most
surprised by Birbiglia’s success is Birbiglia himself. If you are indeed one of those people that
has not seen his standup, you don’t need to worry, because Sleepwalk with Me is more or less the same.
Sleepwalk
with Me is based on Birbiglia’s critically-acclaimed
one-man s Pa how of the same name that he wrote, starred and directed in. Birbiglia’s character is named Matt ndamiglio
but if you have ever seen him perform then it’s easy to tell that Birbiglia is
basically playing himself. The movie
focuses on the life of a struggling comedian who tries to come to grips with
his failing relationship, overbearing parents, and a career that appears to be
going nowhere. Unfortunately, he tries
so hard to ignore these said issues, the pent-up stress manifests itself into
an increasingly dangerous sleepwalking disorder that he also attempts to
ignore.
Probably
the best thing about this film is its self-awareness and brutal honesty. As Birbiglia’s character narrates the story
he knows that there will be many moments that will show him in a less-than-flattering
light. Such prime examples include
beginning scenes by saying things like “I know. I’m in the future too”, “What I should’ve said
was…” and my personal favorite “Before I tell this part of the story I just
want to remind you that you’re on my side.”
Birbiglia never tries
to glamorize the life of a standup comedian.
It’s an exhausting, low paying job that often requires him to drive
several hours a day, practically every day just so he can talk on stage for a
few minutes. He’s forced to take a gig
wherever he can get it because of the grim reality that in comedy, guys like
him are pretty much a dime a dozen. He
becomes so desperate for work he takes a gigs he has no business doing. His manager (who for some reason reminds me
of Joey’s agent on Friends) books him
on a job that barely covers what he spends on gas and then accepts another job
that requires him to perform for half an hour even though he only has about ten
minutes worth of material.
The other notable
problem about his job is that all his time on the road takes a serious toll on
a relationship that was already having problems. When his sister announces her engagement, his
parents inevitably start asking when he and his girlfriend are going to get
married. By our narrator’s own admission,
it’s a legitimate question considering they have been dating for about eight
years, but sidesteps the issue and quickly tries to change the subject. He doesn’t want to admit to his family, his
girlfriend, or even himself that he doesn’t want to get married. Deep down both he and his girlfriend seem to
know their relationship is doomed to fail but neither one wants to admit
it. This is when the sleepwalking starts
to become a serious problem. At first
he’s just yelling at a hamper thinking it’s a jackal but the longer he avoids
the problem the worse the sleepwalking gets until he finally jumps out a
second-story window while staying at a motel.
The big problem with
this movie is that Birbiglia’s problems with his career and his personal life
never really blend together effectively.
When he’s on the road he’s able to forget his problems at home and when
he’s at home he can forget about the problems with his career. As a result, it often feels like I’m watching
two separate movies. . On one hand is a
drama that realistically portrays the perks and pitfalls of a career in standup
comedy. On the other, you have a
slightly dull romantic comedy about a couple whose relationship is slowly
disintegrating like a tame version of Blue
Valentine. As result, the strength
of which the first plot is written unintentionally highlights the weakness of
the second.
Bottom line: While the execution of Sleepwalk with Me isn’t perfect, Birbiglia’s script filled with unflinching
honesty and self-deprecation make him endearing and likeable and by extension
the movie itself.
Grade: B
