We currently live in a time where people nationwide are struggling through a myriad of problems, from financial to mental to a combination of many issues. These hard times are leading many on a path toward self destruction as a coping mechanism, harming themselves or others. Comedian Jerrod Carmichael makes his directorial debut exploring the lives of people like this and what makes them tick.
On The Count of Three takes you through a whirlwind of a day with close friends Val (Jerrod Carmichael) and Kevin (Christopher Abbott) who are both struggling with depression and suicidal ideations. After a particularly tough day between the two of them, the friends make a suicide pact to conclude at night’s end. Before the pact is fulfilled, the two decide to settle some scores from their past and some thrills to cross off the bucket list. But as the day goes on, Val soon learns that finding something worth living for may make life worthwhile after all.
You expect a film helmed by a comedian to impart some humor no matter how serious its subject matter and such is the case for On The Count of Three. Carmichael is known for tackling serious topics in his stand-up so his ability to balances the tones in this film very well should probably be no surprise. The switch between its serious examination of unresolved trauma, depression, and abuse and the witty, dry humor that Carmichael is known for feels seamless and not jarring at all, giving the film an emotional balance that lends itself toward being completely engrossing for audiences. On The Count of Three’s comedic aspects are aided by a host of cameos featuring some of the best black comedians in the business from Lavelle Crawford to J.B. Smoove to Tiffany Haddish. Haddish and Smoove specifically play key roles as emotional lightning rods for Carmichael’s Val, his pregnant girlfriend and father respectively. Haddish’s Natasha serves as a reality check for Val of sorts, imploring him to grow up and live for her rather than wallowing in his sorrows. Her performance is quality and one of her best to date. Christopher Abbott’s performance serves as the film’s heart however, completely dominating the film’s explosive conclusion and commanding the screen as his Kevin delves deeply into how unresolved pain can explode and destroy a person and why the dearth of resources in our society toward helping such cases remains a national crisis. Abbott’s portrayal of a young boy grown into a young man in crisis gives On The Count of Three the bulk of its emotional resonance and power. Carmichael keeps pace with the underrated Abbott though, a testament to his own potential as an actor and perhaps a nod to the internal struggle he had to draw from in his personal life knowing what we know now. It’s hard to imagine that Carmichael’s battle over acknowledging his own identity publicly didn’t influence his quality performance here of a young man in turmoil over his future, but whatever he used to perform as well as he does here worked.
When this film gets serious, its examination of mental anguish and the way some choose to respond to and deal with it are presented with real weight and consequences. Both Val and Kevin are haunted by their experiences that are varying seriousness. Val’s dead-end job, family troubles including a strained relationship with his formerly abusive and drug addicted father, and feeling of hopelessness that makes death seem like a respite is an all too common story in modern working class and poor America, particularly among men Kevin’s age. Similarly, Kevin is a young man with extensive mental health issues in a mental health system seemingly ill-equipped to help him as his life-long trauma foisted upon him by a child psychiatrist Dr. Brenner (Henry Winkler). He too feels hopeless and unable to carry on in a world without a lot of help available to people like him. On The Count of Three gives voice to a demographic within our country that people acknowledge exists and faces hardship, but struggles to develop meaningful solutions for instead of lip service.
On The Count of Three is a thrill ride that keeps the audience engrossed through well timed humor and biting social commentary that evokes emotion and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Jerrod Carmichael is impressive both in his debut in the director’s chair and with a layered performance that examines the psychology of hopelessness and living on the edges of society and brink of despair. Christopher Abbott’s performance is intense and heartbreaking, supplying the film with the heaviest examination of its theme and its most empathetic character. The film’s thrilling ending contains elements that I would compare to the Safdie brothers’ 2017 cult classic Good Time (aided by Abbott’s blonde locks and multicolored Nautica jacket). It’s a powerful look at a current societal problem and a story that will surely make an impact on all who see it.
Image: Annapurna Pictures
