Would It Kill You to Laugh?

John Early is one of the most underrated comedians of our generation. Loved watching him back in action. Truly happy he and Kate Berlant finally got their own show. So well deserved and long overdue!

Just when the world seems to be careening off a cliff, deuxmoi scoops that Kate and John have reunited on Peacock after their devastating falling out years ago. I rushed to watch and spent the next hour lol'ing heartily, just like in the old days, when a glass of natural wine cost but $10. Just then, as the scent of hot caramel (or was it toast????) wafted through my living room, I felt a twinkle of something I hadn't since before my divorce. A sense of H O P E.

Kate and John, carry on!!!!

"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.

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.

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.