SXSW Movie Review: I Don’t Understand You
One of the best parts of the SXSW Festival is the unknown prospects of each film. Outside of their “Festival Favorites” category, which brings select titles that have already been screened elsewhere (often Sundance), SXSW’s lineup is full of films that have never been seen by audiences or critics. I have a love/hate relationship with going into a movie “blind”. I love it when I’m unexpectedly blown away by a great piece of filmmaking but hate it when I leave a screening underwhelmed. It’s the crapshoot of SXSW, but it makes you appreciate those little gems that you discover so much more. And after only two days and seven films, I think I may have already found 2024’s hidden jewel. This year’s early leader for “Most Pleasant Surprise” goes to David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano’s dark comedy, I Don’t Understand You.
In the film, Nick Kroll (FX’s The League) and Andrew Rannells (A Simple Favor) star as Dom and Cole, a married gay couple desperate to add to their little family by adopting a child. After their first go-around in the adoption process ended in a soul-crushing manner, they try once again with an expectant mother (Amanda Seyfried) who’s nearing the end of her pregnancy. But before they begin this next chapter in their lives, Dom plans a romantic trip to Italy for their anniversary. And what’s supposed to be a calm and relaxing getaway slowly devolves into a nightmarish trip that will put their love through the ultimate test.
To say anything more about I Don’t Understand You is to say too much. In fact, the only bland thing about this movie is its title. Instead, this knock-your-socks-off comedy is enhanced by its unexpected twists and turns, and that’s because David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano are relentless in their mission of crafting a story that’s unapologetically bonkers. Thankfully, as a married gay couple themselves, they’re able to raise the stakes by overseeing the strong onscreen chemistry present in their leading stars. Kroll and Rannells sell their love and devotion perfectly, all while using their natural comedic gifts to push the boundary of sensibility in the film. Without fully developing these characters and their emotional bond, the audience wouldn’t be able to buy into the movie’s bizarre, yet completely gratifying third act.
Many will describe I Don’t Understand You as a blend of comedy and horror. But it’s truly only a horror in the sense of their romantic getaway being one big nightmare of a misunderstanding. This is a direct result of Craig and Crano’s brilliantly scripted fish-out-of-water fiasco that’s mainly brought on by the couple’s language barrier in a foreign country. After more than a decade of being force-fed comedies reliant on shock value to generate laughs, I Don’t Understand You derives its humor the way comedic legends intended, by setting up jokes in a clever, thought-out way based on situations and circumstances. This devotion to the evolution of a joke and letting the moment crescendo into sheer hilarity is a joy to witness over-and-over again throughout the film.
Another common trait of a superior comedy is a film’s ability to counterbalance laughter with genuine emotion. Beneath I Don’t Understand You’s raucous exterior lives a hearty story of eternal love and family devotion. The scary proposition of deciding to grow your family, and the challenges that exist for two-male couples desiring to do so are not lost in this film. They’re a crucial part of this story and the messaging is effective in its execution as well. I Don’t Understand You checks all the boxes and cements itself as one of SXSW’s finest offerings.
GRADE: 4.5/5
