Yeah…I know. What? Sleepwalk with Me? Never heard of it–right? Honestly, I did know about it either until Joss Whedon made a hilarious video “boycotting” (wink,wink) this film. And now I am (again) grateful to Mr. Whedon, because Mike Birbiglia’s true and hilarious story has easily become one of my favorites of the year.
JOSS WHEDON-Boycott Mike Birbiglia’s Film “Sleepwalk With Me” – YouTube
First, I will tell you other stuff I did not know. Birbiglia wrote this and performed it as a one-man show that mixed stand-up and theater, back in 2009, at the Bleecker Street Theatre in New York City. With that success he then wrote a book Sleepwalk With Me & Other Painfully True Stories, that went on to become a bestseller, which lead to his directorial début. Wow!
Well, watching this small, independent film was a pure pleasure. Birbiglia uses his real life and his real REM Sleep Behavior Disorder to tell a very raw, sometimes painful, honest tale. It is hilarious and poignant. The unique way that it is presented and structured helps to enhance your connection to the story. It is a narrative, yet it is cut with Birbiglia making direct camera commentary (that adds a sense of intimacy) and parts of his stand up routines and strangely, it works .
I can go on and on. I loved everything! Sometimes life is stranger than fiction and worth telling. Bravo, Bribiglia! Thanks for being a creative, new voice in cinema. We need more of these kind of maverick endeavors.
So go find this and check it out! I would love to hear what you all think.
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I still haven’t seen this one. i may check it out soon. Nice review!
It appeared on my radar when Joss Whedon (who I adore) created a boycott (wink-wink) video for the film’s expansion to 500 theaters. (It is hilarious, like all his little videos! The Romney for zombies is classic.)
So glad I did–it was a hidden treasure! You will enjoy it–can’t wait to see what you think.