“I Don’t Understand You” spins its chaos from something lost in translation. And yet, Nick Kroll grabbing a big handful of Andrew Rannells’ ass is a universal language.
There’s an idyllic romance hidden somewhere in Brian Crano and David Craig’s destination horror-comedy that would be worth seeing on its own. The filmmakers and real-life romantic partners premiered their deceptively dreamy movie — about a couple traveling to Italy for an anniversary vacation that goes hellishly wrong — at SXSW on March 8. It rescreened at The Overlook Film Festival from April 4 to 7, where it technically fit the genre-specific bill but also suggested a much wider audience.
Moviegoers who can stomach some gore but don’t like to be jump-scared will laugh as much as any horror head when they realize that game of grab-ass was actually the neurotic Dom checking for his very pretty but occasionally helpless husband Cole’s wallet. Written with instantly clockable authenticity, the queer characters give Kroll and Rannells a unique opportunity to act ever-so slightly against type.
Rannells canoodles and squabbles with a tenderness that rarely touched his bitchy “Girls” performance. And trite but true, Kroll is… daddy. Yes, yes, someone get Dom a Klonopin ASAP. But even with all the neuroses at work, Kroll and Rannells manage to give Dom and Cole a crackling chemistry that’s very endearing and a little sexy. The actors’ blistering comedic timing — extended brilliantly to supporting cast members — is paired with a comity that quietly makes you root for the dudes even as they make matters worse.
At the start, Cole and Dom are looking to adopt. We find them self-taping a video for an application they’re sending to a pregnant woman (Amanda Seyfried) shortly before setting out on their trip. It’s a snarky and affectionate scene featuring the men’s beautiful home and dog Axel (who, fun fact, was Crano and Craig’s beloved late pet per Instagram), and an essential touchstone for relating to these characters and the nightmare they’re about to endure.
Cole and Dom are recent victims of an adoption scam, an underdiscussed issue that faces LGBTQ parents with remarkable frequency. One day they were having a baby; then they weren’t. Unsure what comes next, the husbands aren’t getting their hopes up this time. They’ve slid into a malaise and are struggling to accept that perhaps what they already have is as good as it gets.
In Italy, the pair act like tourists operating on autopilot. They’re in love and they’re trying, but life sucks a little sometimes and right now they both know it. It’s not until an overly involved family friend takes over the pair’s anniversary dinner plans and sends them to a remotely located restaurant that Cole and Dom finally see their problems snap into perspective. After a minor car mishap leave the English speakers stranded in the woods, they’re forced to fend for themselves in a foreign landscape. When the question switches from “boy or girl?” to “life or death?” all bets are off for Cole and Dom. Will they make it through this together? And will a baby be waiting at home… if the dads ever make it there?
Outrageously snappy and unapologetically fun, “I Don’t Understand You” is a must-see for anyone who likes queer romance, horror-comedy, and/or hot Italians. (It’s a spoiler to say who Morgan Spector plays, but “The Gilded Age” actor is once again so goddamn fine you’ll want Dom to look for his wallet.) There’s no release date, but scaredy cats should start readying their nerves for this gory and goofy genre getaway now; trust me, it’s more than worth the psychological trip.
As for the rest of us horror fans? Let’s just say you’ve never seen a pizza oven misused like this before.
Grade: A-
“I Don’t Understand You” premiered at SXSW and does not have a wide release date.
