[SXSW 2024] I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU -- Predictable Dark Comedy Saved by Strong Performances

Review by Sean Boelman

Credit: DP: Lowell Meyer.

Sometimes, committed performances can elevate a generic comedy into something genuinely enjoyable. Unfairly billed as a horror-comedy, I Don’t Understand You rides on the comedic strengths and incredible chemistry of its stars, Andrew Rannels and Nick Kroll, to deliver an entertaining experience.

In the film, Rannels and Kroll play an American couple stranded in rural Italy without the ability to communicate as a series of accidents causes them to kick off a comedy of errors. You’ve seen this premise done dozens of times before — and more effectively — but there’s still enough charm to be found in David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano’s movie for it to be worth watching. 

Ultimately, the biggest factor responsible for I Don’t Understand You's success is the undeniable charm of its two leads. Rannells and Kroll are both hilarious, creating the perfect dynamic of a bickering but loving couple. Neither breaks beyond their usual niche, but they are fun to watch and have excellent chemistry. Morgan Spector also has a very fun turn in the supporting cast, with a loony, mostly Italian-language performance.

I Don’t Understand You takes a lot of time to get moving. It’s not until around the halfway mark that the first significant inciting incident happens. Much of the first act is spent on red herrings that make you think the movie is heading in a different, more horror-centric direction than it eventually goes.

However, Craig and Crano keep viewers invested by giving the movie a strong emotional through-line. Although the film is filled with over-the-top slapstick humor, it is grounded by its focus on its protagonists’ journey to becoming adoptive parents. Although this subplot hits many maudlin beats, it’s certainly very charming and heartwarming.

Still, the movie feels like a missed opportunity regarding some of its other themes. For example, throughout the film, we see glimpses of the homophobia present in this rural Italian community. Rather than explore this more deeply, Craig and Crano simply use it to set up a few gags. The movie has several opportunities like this but consistently settles for a more straightforward approach.

Additionally, for a film set in a picturesque location like Italy, it’s frustrating that I Don’t Understand You doesn’t do more with the visuals. The cinematography and production design are very run-of-the-mill. You could change the location to rural America, and it would have very little effect on the atmosphere, which is incredibly disappointing.

I Don’t Understand You is a very generic dark comedy, but the two lead performances are so fun to watch that the movie manages to overcome its storytelling flaws to be entertaining and charming. This is the type of comedy that audiences will watch on streaming, be diverted, and forget almost as soon as the credits roll.

I Don’t Understand You screened at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX.

​Rating: 3/5