‘Me, Myself & The Void’ FilmQuest Review: A Dark Comedy with a Quirky Sense of Humor
Tyler Doupe'
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I had the occasion to check out Tim Hautekiet’s Me, Myself & The Void during FilmQuest and I had a pretty good time with it. The flick is darkly comedic, sometimes touching, and it also serves as a relevant reminder to value what you have, say what you mean, and grow from the mistakes of your past.
Me, Myself & The Void finds aspiring comedian, Jack (Jack De Sana) caught in a dreamlike state somewhere inside his subconscious. He is aware that his physical form is passed out on the bathroom floor of his apartment, with a gash on his head. But he cannot seem to awaken from his unconscious state, move his body, or even remember how he ended up in that predicament to start with. In an attempt to find out what the hell is going on, Jack journeys through his subconscious mind (joined by manifestations of those closest to him) and learns some important lessons about life and love along the way.
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The film’s greatest strength is that it’s really relatable. We have all made mistakes. We all have regrets and things we wish we had done differently in hindsight. On that basis, it’s easy to identify with Jack’s plight. De Sana does an impressive job in the lead role. He takes a character that could have been grating and insufferable and gives viewers plenty of reasons to like him. His quirks and dry wit make him all the more relatable. Moreover, his journey of self-discovery and the epiphanies he has along the way are interesting and lead to a fairly satisfying conclusion.
In addition to a strong lead in Jack, the film also benefits from a solid supporting cast of characters. Chris Smith is rather impressive in his turn as Jack’s best friend, Chris. Since Jack is the quirky, funny one, that leaves Smith to play the straight-laced voice of reason. He accomplishes that directive and manages to be endearing and likable without coming off like a boring stick in the mud.
Kelly Marie Tran is also effective in her portrayal of Jack’s ex-girlfriend, Mia. Her affection for (and frustration with) Jack reads as genuine, as does her pain from their breakup. We can see the best in both of these characters, which left me wanting them to find a path forward together.
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James Babson is also really good as Jack’s mysterious roommate, Bob. Bob is more than a little unpredictable. There are times when it seems like he may be mere moments from blowing his top. But there are others where we get the impression he may be a really chill guy. No matter where he lands on that spectrum, his storyline adds some levity to the proceedings; each scene in which he appears had me chuckling.
Also enjoyable is the picture’s wacky sense of humor. Me, Myself & The Void is dry, sarcastic, and full of self-deprecating comedy sure to appeal to anyone who has ever experienced imposter syndrome or felt like they weren’t living up to their full potential. There’s also plenty of clever banter between Jack, Chris, and Mia as the trio tries to help Jack find his way out of his subconscious and back to the real world.
It’s a good thing the film has such a relatable core cast and quirky sense of humor because this dark comedy is very character-driven. Having likable leads to identify with and moments of dark comedy carries the viewer through some of the slower moments.
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Even still, I would have liked to have seen the film lean into the inherent horror of the situation in which Jack finds himself a little more. The film doesn’t do much to keep the viewer on their toes. There isn’t a tremendous sense of urgency regarding Jack’s return to real life. So, a bit of tension pertaining to the central dilemma would have gone a long way toward keeping the audience engaged.
Criticisms aside, Me, Myself & The Void manages to be both entertaining and amusing. It’s a funny take on growth and self-discovery and I had a good time with it.
No word just yet on a release strategy. But the film is likely to continue playing the festival circuit for a spell.
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‘Me, Myself & The Void'
Summary
This quirky comedy is filled with dark humor and serves up quality characters.
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