I Don’t Understand You: Dark Comedy That Shines In Its Simplicity

Mining misunderstandings for comedy is a tactic that has been used since the beginning of time. Be it misinterpreting words, feelings, or intentions, the result is unruly situations that, if done right, can be hilarious. When it comes to I Don’t Understand You, its intentions could not be any clearer. But, that being said, can such a simple premise sustain a film? That answer is yes, for the most part. Not trying to be more than it is, it is a simple film of escalating ridiculousness that somehow finds its way through, across its 90+ minute running time. Taking audiences on an American gay couple’s Italian vacation that goes horribly wrong, the film’s humor may not always land. However, the dynamic of Andrew Rannells and Nick Kroll as the aforementioned couple make the film a fun watch. Playing that contrast for comedy, it is easy to make the other the butt of the joke. Though that strategy will undoubtedly not land with all audiences, the story is that of complete buffoons who find themselves in trouble and luckily, come out unscathed. While flawed, this makes them somewhat endearing, in spite of their circumstances, even if some may not necessarily agree with their response to those circumstances.

Bringing it back to the beginning, Cole (Rannells) and Dom (Kroll) are an American gay couple looking to adopt their first child from a woman named Candace (Amanda Seyfried). On the verge of a decision, the couple took the opportunity to go on an Italian vacation as a means to reconnect as a couple. However, the picturesque Italian landscape would quickly turn into darkness as their trip would only further spiral from there. Getting their vehicle stuck in a ditch on the way to a special dinner, Cole and Dom found themselves stranded in the remote Italian countryside in the middle of a downpour. Armed with a very basic understanding of the Italian language, their chances of survival appeared to not be very high. Used to being catered to all their lives, the learning curve Italy presented proved to be a challenge. Already out of their element, their current circumstances made that even more evident. Regardless, Cole and Dom’s situation found a way to escalate into more ridiculousness as a series of unfortunate events and misunderstandings left an increasing amount of bodies in their wake.

Far from their intentions, the humor came from what Cole and Dom did about it. They were not bad people as all they wanted to do was to get back to their potential baby, and going to jail was not the way to do it. However, the couple were certainly not equipped to handle anything of this magnitude. Spending most of its time within a smaller house somewhere in the Italian countryside, that house would become another character in the story. Somehow stumbling their way to the location of the dinner Cole and Dom were set to attend, the house’s intimate setting made way for a more claustrophobic atmosphere once faced with the pressure of what had just happened and what else may come around the corner. As more figures joined the equation and the walls continued to close in on Cole and Dom, that pressure only intensified. Looking to reconnect as a couple over their vacation, little did they know, that this unfortunate ordeal would be the way they did it. Meanwhile, as the prospects of Candace agreeing to let Cole and Dom adopt her baby became more likely, this further added the pressure on them to survive. In keeping with the tone, her role in the film is minimal, but it would have been nice to have her more involved in the story.

Above all else, the best part of I Don’t Understand You and what makes it work, are the performances from Rannells and Kroll, as Cole and Dom. With the bulk of the responsibility placed on their shoulders, their comedic timing makes the ridiculous situations their characters kept finding themselves in work. Similarly, their likeability makes it easy to find redeeming qualities out of the flawed Cole and Dom. Despite their questionable actions, their intentions are easy to get behind. Requiring some suspension of disbelief, Rannells and Kroll were fun to watch as they are uncomfortably put through the ringer. Seyfried, in a limited role, delights in a placeholder role that could have been played by anyone.

In the end, I Don’t Understand You is a solid dark comedy that, despite its simplicity, shines off the strength of the duo of Andrew Rannells and Nick Kroll.

*still courtesy of Vertical Entertainment*

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.