PRINTMovie Review: Sleepwalk with Me
Mike Birbiglia stars in a stand-up comedy based on night terrors
Photo courtesy of IFC Films
October 6, 2012 | 12:00 p.m. CST
Matt Pandamiglio, a beginning stand-up comic, is acting out his dreams at night, and he’s not sure why. It seems to have something to do with his reluctance to marry his redheaded bombshell of a girlfriend of 8 years, Abby. As pressure from his parents, friends and Abby herself begin to mount, Matt’s dreams spiral out of control as things get more and more amusing and more dangerous.
Written and directed by Mike Birbiglia, the brilliant script and top-notch acting make Sleepwalk with Me both hilarious and heartbreaking. Birbiglia uses Pandamiglio to play himself and acts out a dramatized version of his own real-life story. Brief appearances by Kristen Schaal and Loudon Wainright III add to the hilarity.
In the past, Matt and Abby (Lauren Ambrose), fell in love with such intensity that Pandamiglio compares it to “eating pizza-flavored ice cream.” But fast-forward eight years. The two live together, although Matt is by no means ready to tie the knot. As his stand-up comedy career starts to flourish, his relationship withers. Both begin to wonder what they’re doing if they’re not headed for the altar.
If you’re a fan of stand-up comedy, this is for you. If you’re a fan of indie rom-coms, this is for you. It’s like 500 Days of Summer meets Louie — on sleep-induced steroids. If you’re a fan of both, go ahead and give this five whole V’s.
Expect to laugh a lot and cry a little (especially if this hits close to home). Sleepwalk With Me is a fantastic example of how sometimes you have to give up what you’ve always had… to get what you’ve always wanted.
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