Indie romantic comedies are a dime a dozen and exceptionally easy to fuck up or — often even worse — make pretty well and still be left with an interminably unpleasant watch. Mike Birbiglia’s deeply personal directorial debut is fortunately very easy to watch, and even when it gets into the sticky love drama stuff it remains infinitely enjoyable. Slickly shot, sharply edited, and gorgeously written (Ira Glass apparently played a key role here), it’s a debut that promises Louie and Bobcat aren’t the only stand ups-turned-directors that we need to be watching closely. This is the story of the end of one phase of Birbiglia’s life and the beginning of another, and it rings with a perfectly honest tone even when it’s getting a little fantastic. Can’t recommend this enough.

Also — for the WTF fans — Marc Maron has a wonderful extended cameo.

–Renn Brown

Sleepwalk With Me Details:

Director: Mike Birbiglia
Screenwriter: Mike Birbiglia, Ira Glass, Joe Birbiglia, Seth Barrish
Principal Cast:
Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose, James Rebhorn, Carol Kane, Cristin Milioti, Aya Cash, Marc Maron, David Wain, Kristen Schaal, Henry Phillips

“Sleepwalk With Me” is a comedy written by, directed by and starring comedian Mike Birbiglia, based on a true story he told in his one-man off-Broadway show and his first book. The film follows the journey of an aspiring comedian in denial about his girlfriend, his career, and, most significantly, his sleepwalking disorder. The more he fails to express his true feelings, the more his anxiety comes out in increasingly funny and dangerous sleepwalking incidents.

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