The Baltimorons

The Baltimorons is a wry and sometimes bittersweet holiday confection. Concerning a man who goes to a Christmas eve gathering with his fiancé, but, after injuring his mouth, must seek dental care, the film is one misadventure after another. Yet, this is no Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Instead, the complications are satisfyingly mundane and the film works because of how well drawn the characters become. It is one of those films that may sneak up on you with how lovely it is. It has been a while since a film like this came along.

As Cliff, the central figure, Michael Strassner, who also co-wrote the script with director Jay Duplass, is a revelation. At times channeling a bit of the early John C. Reilly, before he went off and did broad comedies that revolve around bodily functions, Strassner imbues Cliff with a heart and soul that is supremely loveable. Opposite Strassner are Liz Larsen, as his dentist, and Olivia Lucardi, as his fiancé. Both bring very different dimensions to the film.

This is the rare film that finds almost the perfect balance between comedy and drama, without ever crossing the line into the truly unbelievable. It is a film full of memorable moments and characters. If Woody Allen, at the height of his powers, had set a film in Baltimore at Christmas, but without the characters having an ounce of the bickering or ego that sometimes mars his work, you might have a feel for where this one fits.

Yet, it is very much its own thing. You could slot it next to The Holdovers, though that is a greater work. This is as much about loneliness and finding community as that great film, but it goes about it differently. Here, the two characters spend time together because they want to, and at times, because they seem to need to do so. As the film progresses, you can feel their bond growing, but you keep waiting for the bottom to fall out.

Cliff, as it turns out, is an alcoholic, recently sober, who once tried to kill himself, and he is also a struggling stand-up comedian that has burned most of his professional and personal bridges. Liz is a divorcee who was planning a gathering only to find out her ex-husband has remarried and chose that very night to celebrate. So, we have two people with complications in their lives finding moments of need and desire. Brittany, Cliff’s fiancé, swears she loves him, but you can decide for yourself if her actions speak to real love or if there is something darker, more complex and more authentic happening.

This is a film that knows better than to make fun of injury or habit, and which wears its heart on its sleeve. This it does with a grin and a wink but never cloying. Throughout the day Liz and Cliff spend together, they get to truly know and care about one another, as people. This is a story about connecting and finding purpose. Brittany, often offscreen, spends much of the film as a nuisance. She is, as such someone the audience may wonder why she is not trying harder, but there are reasons for this. How convinced you are by the eventual explanations will determine much of what you make of the movie.

Being a film less interested in plot than people, the complications which occur all stem from decisions they make, rather than those imposed on them. In a sense, the film also touches on personal responsibility. What makes this special is that it makes no excuses, asks hard questions, and displays a level of understanding and empathy that is rare in modern films. It is a film that needs to be experienced with as few spoilers as possible, because it is about the journey. Do not miss this one.