Duplass Brothers Productions
I would say I have a mixed feeling about mumblecore movies — I can respect the indie grind, and naturalism can often work well, but sometimes the aimlessness and utter slowness can make the watch a chore and the eventual resolution less satisfying. Some really work for me, like Celeste & Jesse Forever, as a fascinating showcase for Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg, but then there are acclaimed ones like Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha that left me cold. Similarly I also have a mixed relationship with Baltimore, having grown up close enough that I’ve visited many times — it can have real highlights and interesting people but also be utterly depressing and troubling. After all, The Wire was set there and based on the real environment there. So any sort of love letter to Baltimore is rare, and I’m always a little curious about how things might be expressed.
The Baltimorons comes from one of the original mumblecore kings, Jay Duplass directing and co-writing with Michael Strassner, who also stars in the movie as Cliff, a former alcoholic struggling around the holidays. The movie takes place in Baltimore right on Christmas Eve, as Cliff (essentially very newly sober) is planning to spend the evening with girlfriend Brittany (Olivia Luccardi) and her family. She also asks him to avoid any trigger, especially anything to do with stand-up or sketch comedy in the local scene — hinting at a previous serious crashout.
All well and good, but then Cliff has an accident and knocks out a tooth, needing an emergency dentist — but so close to Christmas, he is only able to find one place even responding. He winds up under the care of Didi (Liz Larsen), a competent, dry-witted woman about 30 years older than him. Under heavy sedation, Cliff admits to finding Didi pretty, but she dismisses it — she has her own issues, like her ex-husband getting remarried to a much younger woman, and they plan to have the holiday with Didi’s daughter and grandkid.
But then a series of misadventures and problems arise, and Cliff and Didi end up spending the day and evening together as secrets are revealed and troubles are solved. The two make a curious pair, as Didi is a workaholic and a sardonic wit, while Cliff is a more laid back, jovial type who loves making people laugh. Sparks fly in a slow-building way, despite their differences and relationship statuses, as the movie takes them through various Baltimore sights and sounds, a mild adventure where the stakes are about people’s feelings.
As a mumblecore sort of movie, I appreciate that the rapport feels real and that the naturalistic performances never dip into that twee or maudlin place these sorts of movies often do. Michael Strassner (a Baltimore native originally) clearly has an affection for the place, and although there are references to alternate world SNL sorts of things, in general this world feels more small and intimate. Not really a bad thing, and you can understand the progression of the pair’s relationship despite the hurdles in the way.
It’s an interesting sort of piece, charming in its own way — sometimes fairly funny, although oddly enough, not in the moments of onstage comedy, but the chemistry feels legit, and it moves along at a decent enough pace that there’s little space where it really feels too slow. I wouldn’t say this is the comic side of drama, but it’s light enough in its world that it doesn’t drag you down either.
The Baltimorons has a run time of 1 hour 39 minutes, and is rated R for language.
Duplass Brothers Productions