Sleepwalk with Me

While I admit I'm a huge stand-up comedy fan, you don't have to be to fall in love with Mike Birbigla or his "factionalized" character, Matt. A funny, honest, sad (but never too sad) autobiographically inspired road trip through Matt's 20's that features some wonderful performances by Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane and James Rebhorn. I spent the 90 minutes alternating between laughter and wishing I could reach through the screen and slip a Xanax into Matt's beer. I dragged along my 14 year old daughter, who smiles or speaks rarely in my presence these days, and she not only loved it but enthusiastically discussed it with me for an hour afterwords. I only wish it were longer. I could have easily spent the entire afternoon riding shotgun with Matt.

I saw this movie because I heard about it from Joss Whedon's "boycott." Before I sat down to watch it I glanced at the IMDb rate of 6.7, so I figured take it in on my day off while at home on netflix with nothing else to do. It turned out I loved it. The film follows Matt as he attempts to break into stand up comedy and juggle a relationship with his girlfriend of 8 years, as well as cope with some extreme bouts of sleepwalking. Now this is listed as a comedy, but it's not like comedies that other comedians put out, like Will Ferrell, and I wonder if that's part of the reason for the low ranking. Really the story is a serious one but told in a lighthearted but honest way.

If there were some downsides they would be first that, visually it's nothing special, it looks good but not great. Second, is not so much a downside for me as it would be for what I assume it was for some of the people who gave it negative reviews, (indeed I did see people cite this very reason in their reviews) and that is the ending. The film follows the typical film plot structure up to a point and then it strays from what most people would see as typical. I won't spoil anything but I will say this, I was surprised but then again it makes you think. And that is where it really knocked it out of the park for me. I was a little miffed at first but, the film then leaves you with a thought, which made me re-think the movie and it all came together.

I don't think the average movie goer wants to have a revelation at the end of a movie unless that revelation was "It was all a dream(or was it?)" or "He was dead the whole time."

All in all, the movie is an honest, lighthearted look at an event from Mike Birbiglia's life. A movie that will make you laugh at least a little bit, and you might even take something away from it. If you JUST want to laugh, well go watch the latest Will Ferrell movie.

I apologize for the low quality review which follows, I have no time but in regard to the reviews found here, I thought we need something more honest before people go out and watch it.

So, this is nothing you would watch in cinema.

This is more like a movie to watch on a Sunday morning when everybody is lazy and there is nothing of value to do.

The story is a bit boring, and the main character is boring too which comes surprisingly because he actually plays a comedian.

This film is listed as comedy, but we didn't have a single laugh while watching it. The whole movie is really flat, no climax or variation whatsoever. Nobody even tried to follow up to the film after we were done with it.

I am already having a tough time writing something here, as I can't remember something worth mentioning. So overall I think this says enough.

Sleepwalk with Me is an enjoyable movie. However, I have heard Mike Birbiglia tell this story on stage, and I think it plays out better as a monologue. As a film, this story doesn't have much of a climax and it ends rather abruptly. The lack of real resolution might be frustrating to some viewers, but Sleepwalk with Me still has undeniable charm, and it's a fascinating look into the life of a comedian.

When does sleep walking stop being funny? Fighting a non-existent jackal in the middle of the night is all good fun.

Jumping through a second story window because you think there is a missile trained on your location? Welcome to the life of Matt Pandamiglio, a fledgling stand-up comedian trying to figure out his career, his relationship and his future.

Perhaps it's little wonder that he's struggling with sleep.

Pandamiglio is a thinly veiled alter ego for writer, director and star Mike Birbiglia who has adapted his real life experience for stage, print and now screen.

Independently financed, the film has been impressing audiences at film festivals the world over and is now available to British audiences as a download or to watch online from the official website.

My interest in Birbiglia stemmed from seeing a spark of Woody Allen in his work, so perhaps it's fitting that Sleepwalk With Me is very much his Annie Hall.

The confessional, autobiographical tale is told in New York conversations from Manhattan sidewalks and brownstones.

This is also a love story turned on its head, full of introspection and truthful portrayals of that very particular anxiety felt by ... www.ravechild.co.uk