TIFF 2019: “The Climb” Review
Off-beat comedies are typically not my cup of tea, but something about The Climb is charming and kept me engaged and laughing. Directed and written by Michael Angelo Covino and written by Kyle Marvin, The Climb tells a pretty simplistic story of two friends over a period of years in their lives. As their friendship faces new challenges, such as one of them stealing the other’s fiancé and then marrying her, or finding new love, the friendship endures.
The Climb is hilariously awkward and authentic. It has a great indie vibe that makes you realize these two are friends making a film together. It is a tiny budget but what they do is fantastic. The humor is one that will work for some and not others but if it works for you, you will laugh from beginning to end. Before or after each chapter, they do a weird little intermission show like groundskeepers singing “I Shall Not Be Moved.” These little touches make the film stand apart from other comedies.
While I did enjoy the film, it did feel long and dragged at some points. I think that the use of chapters make a film feel longer for me because I don’t know what number to expect and after a while, it blurs. However, what the film manages to accomplish during the runtime is to focus on and established well-developed and authentic characters.
I’ve been thinking about this film for a while and think the ending has more significance than I initially thought. During the majority of the film, Mike always wears clothes that are red or blue or some combination of the two while Kyle wears greens and yellows. At the end of the film, Kyle’s son is riding a bike but wears red and blue so does that subtly hint to the audience that maybe Mike did sleep with Kyle’s fiancé? Maybe I am reading into it too much but it seems purposeful.
All in all, The Climb was an entertaining and funny indie comedy that perfectly utilizes the skills of two extremely talented and funny actors. While dragging a bit at parts, the journey upward and onward is worth it.
