Toxic masculinity has become a common phrase these days, but what about toxic male friendships, or just poisonous friendships, regardless? Everyone’s had that selfish, narcissistic friend who’s not good for you – that’s manipulative, withholding, not always above board, and ultimately a friendship you had to extricate yourself from. But what if your bonds prove too deep to uproot despite all your best efforts?
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The idea of BFFs turned frenemies, and a dubious bromance is explored in Michael Angelo Covino’s hilarious and droll comedy, “The Climb” which made its debut in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes Film Festival this year—no small feat for the feature-length debut of an unknown American filmmaker and a decision that turned heads among critics asking who Covino was (he’s made many shorts over the years, but “The Climb” is his big breakout; read our review here).
It probably doesn’t hurt that Covino’s movie—starring himself and his best friend and co-writer Kyle Marvin—has a robust French bent to it, deadpan, absurdist and highly influenced by French comedy, specifically, the largely undersung, but critically-adored Pierre Étaix, a French filmmaker not unlike Jacques Tati, but also inspired by Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and some of the early slapstick directors. There’s a strong affection for French pop and Le Tour de France cycling enthusiasm throughout.
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Covino takes all of those ideas, witty comedy, amusing farce, gelastic sight gags, and marries it to the ideas of two best friends that really need to divorce, but the magnetism of their friendship keeps pulling them back together despite Marvin’s characters better judgment.
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Here’s the official synopsis:
Kyle and Mike are best friends who share a close bond — until Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancée. The Climb is about a tumultuous but enduring relationship between two men across many years of laughter, heartbreak and rage. It is also the story of real-life best friends who turn their profound connection into a rich, humane, and frequently uproarious film about the boundaries (or lack thereof) in all close friendships.
Also starring Gayle Rankin, Judith Godréche, Talia Balsam, and a small appearance by George Wendt from “Cheers,” “The Climb” is also one of the most visually exciting comedies seen in a long time—many scenes done in long, elaborate tracking one-shots and or a clear understanding of the power of composition and using what’s in and out of the frame to great comedic effect.
“The Climb” won the Jury Coup de Couer Prize in Cannes this year, and did the festival rounds afterward, too, playing TIFF and Telluride, among other smaller fests. The comedy will screen at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in the Spotlight section next month, and the movie was nominated for the 2020 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Also, shout out to the publicist that hilariously used the ironically bad comic sans font in her email in tribute to the film. “The Climb” hits theaters March 20, 2020. Watch the new trailer below.