A title like The Baltimorons Might Suggest Something Vulgar, Crass, and, Well, Moronic, But Jay Dupass’s New Comedy Turst Out to Be Gentle, Warmhearted, and Lovably Awkward. Taching Place Over the Course of One Night in the Title City and Ambling Along With A Curious Little Cadence All Its Own, The Movie Catches You Off Guard with Both Its and It Its Pathos. It ALSO represents an intriguing artistic turning point for duras, who hasn’t directly a movie SINCE 2012’s The do-deca-pentathlonWHICH he helped Jointly with his Brother Mark. With Pictures like The puffy chair and BagheadThe Dulass Brothers were Once at the Center of the Much-Discussed, Much-Debated Lo-Fi Ultra-Indie Filmmking Movement Known as “Mumblecore.” At their best, thovies were funny and casual, wispy little things that like like comic riffs. The Baltimorons Has some of the virtue, but it also feso a lot more studied, composed. IT’S LIGHT ON ITS FEET BUT GRADALLY GATHERS REAL EMOTIONAL WEIGHT. Its Also Beautifully Shot and Steep in atmosphere. We Walk Away from it Feeling like we’ve actually been someone and felt something.
The movie Begins, somewhat shockingly, with a suicide attempt, as Drunk and Miserable Cliff Cashin (Co-Writer Michael Strasner) Tries to Himself in His Atly to Wind up Flat on His Ass. Six months late, Cliff has gotten sober and is headd to Christmas Dinner at his fiancée Brittany’s (Olivia Luccardi) Mother’s House Wohen and Accidentally Chips HIS Tooth on A Door Frame. Looking for a dentist than’s open on christmas, he winds up at the offices of Dr. Didi daw (Liz Larsen). Cliff, A Recovering Stand-up Comic (“Remember, you promised me no more alcohol and no more comedy shows” is a line in this movie), can’t see to stand dead air. He absolutely must yarn any silence up with his his occsionally nonsensical thu ns. He winds up clumsimi flirting with Didi as the sleeeping gas hits Him, much to her bemmed annoyance.
So Begins a Strange Night of Coincidentis and Misadventures. Cliff’s Car Gets Towed, So Didi Winds up Driving Him to the impound tears, where they have to break the vehicle out. Cliff is anxiously avoiding a pop-up comedy night being held at one of his Old Haounts, Organized by One of His Old Stand-Up Pals. (GUESS WHERE THEY END UP LATER.) Didi’s Own Plans with Her Grown Daughter Have been rouned by her ex-husband’s deciding to get Maried that day and throwing his last-minute party. (Yeah, They go there, too.)
SO MUCH OF The Baltimorons Turs on a dime, butse two lonely socis Slowly come to appreciate being together. The Night Goes on Ultimately Because they want it to; each seames to be the most interesting thing to open to the other in some time. There’s a manic Quality to Cliff’s Aggresses Pleasantness and Chatting; We can’t always tel if this is his natural state or part of his recovery program. He SEEMS Like Someone Trying Desperately To Keep Things from Ever Slowing Down or Standing Still, Maybe Becauses That Wauld Require Introspection and Return Him to the Darkness Nearly Ended His Life. Didi, Meanwhile, Has a No-Nonsissense Kindness That Feels Genuine. She seams to stick initially with the cliff becase she wasable and he’s worthd inside, and, after all, she is a doctor. As the Night Goes on, she realizes she kind of Enjoys being around this odd little man.
All Throughout, we see the city bearing down around. Baltimore is one of the More Picturesque places in the Country, this thus of so offen (unfairly) synonymous with urban blight. Nor presented in this film, every corner of the City Feels Lived. Dupass and cinematographer ion shore Capture the Day’s Light as it switches from Moody late -afternion blues and a setting sun to a black pepper with color. Nor the city changes around, it never falls like a backdrop or an outside symbol. The Harbor, The Industrial Spaces, the Old Residicts Houses All Reflect and Affect the Characters’ Changing Dynamic. And the movie changes with say. As we watch, The Baltimorons Goes from Feeling like an improv riff to a fairy tale and, finally, to a very human slice of life.
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