Mike Birbiglia has been hanging around the elite of the comedy world without ever becoming a household name. His style is pretty carefree and based off of personal life experiences. Sleepwalk With Me is the extension of Birbiglia’s stand up act. While an imperfect film, the creative force (Birbiglia) behind the film hits more than it misses with a light tone and smart script.
Birbiglia stars as Mike Pandamiglio (think he is tired of name mispronunciation?), a struggling standup comedian with a long-term girlfriend Abby (Lauren Ambrose). Mike’s younger sister just got engaged, and he starts getting pressure from Abby and his mom (Carol Kane) and dad (James Rebhorn). This newfound pressure so eats at Mike that he starts sleepwalking. He takes these fears and anxieties and channels them into his routine, thus creating an unsustainable cycle of stress, sleepwalking, and funny jokes.
Sleepwalk With Me clearly has several nonfiction elements which work well and not so well in a movie. The creative process elements are refreshing. Watching failure after failure then change into successes is fascinating enough, but coupling that creativity with the sleepwalking elements is a unique contrast of conscious vs. subconscious creativity. When Birbiglia learns that playing comedy close to the chest is his best option, you can see his confidence growing despite his growing fears that sleepwalking will potentially turn harmful. As his reputation and popularity grow, you can see changes in his personality that lead him to take more control of his life instead of it being dictated to him. Sleepwalk With Me is at its best when focusing on Birbiglia’s creative process, which carries Sleepwalk With Me’s second half.
Unfortunately the first half relationship stuff in the first half should almost be considered filler. There are some clichés with regards to the relationship side of the story that feel as if they belong in another movie. Mike’s parents are nosy and itching to get some grand kids. There’s other women who come up when Mike is touring, and Abby, though mostly perky and sweet, acts out in some obvious ways. Birbiglia sticks the landing with the relationship evolution, but Sleepwalk With Me drags in the first 45 minutes while prepping Mike to go on tour.
Birbiglia himself is a winning presence. He’s very mellow and calm while fits of chaos surround him; since most of this story is nonfiction, it is easy for Birbiglia to become his character. Lauren Ambrose is mostly delightful as Abby; it is hard not to root for her in certain situations. Carol Kane is very funny as Mike’s mom, but James Rebhorn is playing too much to the overbearing dad type as Mike’s dad.
Sleepwalk With Me is an enjoyable hour and a half spotlight into the creative process of a gifted comedian. Mike Birbiglia’s openness allows the audience to see how creativity can come from anywhere and how it affects those around him. One thing for sure that I learned: if someone I know starts sleepwalking, I will be sure to move them to the first floor of a building.