Jerrod Carmichael makes his directorial debut at Sundance this weekend with a true marvel of pitch-black comedy, On the Count of Three. Given that its main plot-point is suicide, the movie contains a whole set of obstacles a lot of filmmakers spend their careers avoiding. But Carmichael quickly establishes himself as a director you can trust on a wild emotional ride, and a creator of expanding talents with an invigorating approach to entertainment. “On the Count of Three” is the type of risky project that when done right proves a great, fearless storyteller.
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The film s airtight script, by Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch, starts with the central hook of two friends ready to shoot each other their shared goal is to die by the end of the day. “I think about it all the time,” confesses Val (Carmichael) after Kevin (Christopher Abbott) sees the guns. “It brings me relief.” He s just broken Kevin out of a psych ward, after Kevin tried to commit suicide with pi
Christopher Abbott and Jerrod Carmichael in On the Count of Three. Photograph: Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Marshall Adams
The shaggy bromance comedy On the Count of Three explains its title and premise in its stark opening scene. Two best friends have guns trained at each otherâs head, agreeing that, yep, on the count of three theyâll shoot, bringing to end two lives that in their eyes havenât been worth living, an inevitable solution to a bleak problem. Predictably we then rewind to âearlier that morningâ to see how the pair found themselves on the precipice of suicide at the back of a strip club.
Jerrod Carmichael: Directorial debut a natural progression of truth
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Jerrod Carmichael directed and stars in On the Count of Three. File Photo by John Gress/UPI | License Photo
Jerrod Carmichael sees On the Count of Three as a continuation of his serious-minded comedy. Photo courtesy of the Sundance Institute
Jan. 30 (UPI) Standup comedian and actor Jerrod Carmichael made his directorial debut with
On the Count of Three, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday.
Carmichael said the dark comedy about two friends making a suicide pact fit his aesthetic of using comedy to address serious issues.
On the Count of Three Review: Jerrod Carmichael s Lively Buddy Comedy of Despair lmtonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lmtonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.