There are all kinds of movies that are either endangered or practically extinct. The big-studio comedy. The original musical. But the sweet and shaggy regular-people movie — more a province of the 1970s, always one that required a little hunting down — is a particularly rare breed.
Baltimorons is one of those little movies you might stumble across and be surprised that it hooks you. It does so despite — or more likely because — of its complete lack of flashiness or any self-evident attempt to “hook you.” Instead, it manages that simply with low-key charm and a warm, unpretentious humanity.
Director Jay Duplass’ film is about a young Baltimore man in recovery for two things. Cliff (Michael Strassner) has quit both drinking and improv comedy. If “yes, and” had been his personal mantra, he’s now, after a failed suicide attempt seen in the movie’s first moments, pledged to give up both for his girlfriend, Brittany (Olivia Luccardi).
It doesn’t take us long to grasp that this state of affairs is trying for Cliff, a gregarious and easygoing guy, but an aimless one. The alcohol isn’t so much the problem, though. More difficult is going cold turkey on riffing his way through life.
