Sleepwalk With Me (2012) - Mike Birbiglia

The tale of a struggling stand-up comedian, Matt, who is having trouble dealing with the multiple issues of his life.  Between his stalled career as a stand-up comedian, and the stale long-time relationship with his girlfriend, Abby, things are spiraling further and further out of control. Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk With Me is a autobiographically inspired story, that's core strength is the honestly it exudes. The film is very much a character-study of a good-natured man who is facing conflict and questions from all directions.  The film is funny and heartfelt, with Mike Birbiglia turning in a great performance as Matt, the lovable loser type character who you can't help but relate too and root for.  Whether it is intentional or not, the film is really about artistic expression as Matt begins to realize that the only way he can truly succeed at becoming a stand-up comedian is completely opening up about everything - laughing at and sharing his most intimate fears and desires.  I'm sure this thought will come off as a little pretentious to some but  while watching the film I couldn't help but think about what John Cassavetes said: "You must be willing to risk everything to really express it all", which is precisely what Matt's character realizes in the end of the film.  The other part aspect which is explored is simply the fear of adulthood and responsibility, and while it is debatable whether Matt truly grows up, I would argue that it doesn't matter given how the story unfolds.  Sleepwalk with Me is one of the funnier films of the year, but its ability to capture a man dealing with the stress in his life while attempting his dream, at such a microscopic level, is what makes it such a gratifying experience.

8/10

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