Would It Kill You to Laugh?

Watched this after "Cinnamon in the Wind" and it serves as an interesting contrast. The striving for spontaneity in "Cinnamon" is replaced with this more mapped-out series of skits.

The concept behind the skits is certainly clever, if you've seen the trailer. The skits move pretty quickly, with a couple of threads connecting them, a heavy book and Kate/John's answer to Apple Pay, i.e. "Do you take Hot Caramel here?"

I'm trying to remember where I first saw them, I think it was some cable comedy short-lived story, or maybe via "I Think You Should Go Now." Their comedy here is relatively gentle (well it is on Peacock) and there is the challenge of meta-comedy in taping a show that at its heart spoofs taped-shows.

I thought it worked just fine, and the two stars have more than a chemistry, some telepathy. Their tackling of the sexual double-standard was definitely funny in multiple ways, even if it leaves a funny taste in your soul. Arguably it should.

Some of Kate's mannerisms (especially in dude-with-a-soul-patch mode) I think indicate her promise in more theatrical roles, although like Miranda July her undying commitment to the absurd and beyond, may always keep her, and her pal Early, late to the party for success.

Time will tell, for now this is a nice slice of stale celebrity cheesecake. Try to make it at least to the dance class... Honestly this made me appreciate "Cinnamon" even more, but both shows are a cut different and above most comedy imho.

"Would it Kill You to Laugh (2022)" had me in stitches... well, maybe more like mild chuckles. Kate Berlant and John Early's on-screen reunion was a rollercoaster of exaggerated egos and absurdity. While I expected to laugh till I cried, I ended up chuckling till I sighed. The plot centered around their public falling out years ago had potential, but it felt like it got lost in its own hilarity, much like Berlant and Early's characters.

Don't get me wrong; there were moments when I genuinely LOLed, but they were scattered like confetti at a sparsely attended party. Berlant and Early's comedic chemistry was undeniable, and their over-the-top portrayals of themselves were, at times, a delightful cringe-fest. Yet, the film's pacing seemed to struggle with comedic timing, leaving me yearning for more consistent laughs. In the end, "Would it Kill You to Laugh" is worth a watch if you're a fan of the stars, but don't expect it to be the comedy masterpiece you might have hoped for. It's like a joke that's funny at first but then slowly fizzles out - amusing but not side-splitting.

I gave 2 stars for 2 kinda descent skits. The dance class and the foot rub. Sadly neither of those made me laugh, they just weren't excruciating to watch. I guess I just don't get comedy these days, because this sucked. Hate it too because I thought these two would make me laugh.

Hilarious, highly-sophisticated genre-bending show in the mold of the British League of Gentlemen or Inside No.9. Ostensibly, the frame story is about a duo of actors of a an embarrassingly idiotic show which, after years of trying to destroy each other are reunited in a talk show, which provides them with the final opportunity to - well - destroy each other. Or perhaps to make amends. Or maybe something else is going on? There are enough clues to make you wonder what exactly are you watching, what's "real" and what the parody. What is the show and what is the show about the show. So yeah, amazingly witty and complex, and also goofy and slap-sticky. Brilliant.

These actors have been a part of several funny projects which set a high bar for me going in to my viewing. Everything falls flat and feels unfinished. This is disappointing.