Mike Birbiglia is a solid stand up comic plying is trade in the crowded American market. His niche being a disarming honesty and self deprecating humour.
Sleepwalk with Me tells the mildly fictionalised version of his discovering this niche, which ultimately came at the expense of his first real adult relationship.
As the film opens Matt (Birbiglia) is just the run of the mill comic cum barman, whose time behind the bar is dominating a far higher percentage of his waking time.
Matt’s home life is better though, with the spunky redhead Abby being a fierce supporter of his career choice, and between them they make ends meet, even though Matt’s family watches on dubiously as to the validity of aspirations of being a broke comic.
After finding a promoter Matt goes on the road, travelling for hours and days to gigs that pay less than the cost of his fuel, just to be heard. This puts the strain in the relationship, with Abby doing well at home, Matt finds the separation and frustration time to think about his own lot in life.
As Matt introduces these insecure thoughts and concepts into his act, the audiences respond. The truth has set him free. But while his ‘voice’ might now be defined, Matt wonders what Abby and his family might think of this new angle, seeing as it casts them in a disparaging light.
Matt also sleepwalks, hence the title.
Sleepwalk with Me plies its trade as a depiction of a man who has profited from making his insecurities public, and the film just does more of it. While Mike/Matt is refreshingly honest and upfront about his deficiencies and embarrassing personal idiosyncrasies, the fact remains that the film is telling his side of the story.
Unfortunately as it also depicts a guy finding his voice, most of the stand up material is dull and formulaic, as it reflected the ‘pre-funny’ Matt.
Ultimately this film does little more than make me think – rightly or wrongly – that Matt / Mike is a nice guy. But I know other nice guys, and I don’t volunteer them 90 minutes of my life to not see anything beyond reinforcing this niceness.
Sleepwalk with Me is decent but hardly vital stuff.
Final Rating – 6 / 10. Almost ever stand up comic tells us how insecure and boring they really are, this is the film that apparently proves it.
