Rating: 4/5
Tim Robinson is every nightmare I have about who I might secretly be. He embodies my worst tendencies and amplifies them to such an absurd degree that I have to laugh, whether it’s the laughter of unbridled joy or the only catharsis my body can achieve in such a horrified state.
The film is yet another way in which he has capitalized on my terror, in which he explores the loneliness of self-centered people, the joy of being seen, and the unbearable possibility of doing the one stupid thing that will eviscerate that friendship. Austin, played by Paul Rudd, is the perfect friend to cling to because he’s not necessarily a better or more enlightened person—he just pays attention to Craig (Tim Robinson), and the codependence forms from there.
Austin has a better career and circle of friends because he’s better at hiding his flaws than Craig. However, Craig only sees the material ways in which Austin has successfully differentiated himself, giving Craig an aspirational ideal with no obvious way to get there.
The film’s biggest flaw lies in its overreliance on classic Tim Robinson antics. It establishes a baseline of reality and then exceeds that in a way that might work for a sketch but shakes the foundations when the film needs to sustain grounded footing. That said, the movie never lost me, and I eventually found my way onto its wavelength, but it wasn’t immediate.
I’m always happy to see Conner O’Malley in anything, however brief. The movie understands that his energy and Tim Robinson’s are so mutually intense that O’Malley can only be in the film briefly.