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Stand-up comedian Jerrod Carmichael has come out all guns blazing with his directorial debut, On the Count of Three.

The dark comedy is a story of two deeply troubled friends, Kevin (Christopher Abbott) and Val (Carmichael), who decide to end their lives together. Standing, guns loaded, pistol-to-temple, they back out, choosing to spend one last day tying up loose ends before they call it quits. Their last-minute bid for closure setting them on a wild ride in a bright yellow Jeep. The dramedy also stars Tiffany Haddish (The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent), Henry Winkler (Barry), J.B. Smoove (Spider-Man: Far from Home) and Lavell Crawford (Breaking Bad).

Carmichael is a Primetime Emmy Award-winning writer, most known for The Carmichael Show (2015-2017), and in this buddy flick, he never treats life as a flimsy product that can be tossed around for the sake of a few laughs. His humane approach to the sensitive theme of mortality is what made this nominee of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival an audience favourite.

“When you’re a kid, they tell you the worst thing you can be is a quitter. Why? Quitting’s amazing. It just means you no longer have to do a thing you hate” – Val (Carmichael)

Mental health is not the punchline. It is never the punchline. “I have earned the right to say that there’s no other way out,” Kevin tells Val, having been treated for depression since the age of eight with no relief. Still, he argues that suicide isn’t the solution to a slump, trying to dissuade his friend from making the same decision. This level of self-awareness elevates the tragicomedy from a superficial millennial imitation of The Bucket List to a heartfelt search for answers and reconciliation.

With the on-the-nose jokes about racism shared between two biracial friends, you can tell the script was written by a white person… two, in fact: Carmichael’s long-time collaborators Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch. Beneath the gallows humour, determined socio-political comments emerge. Sad, poetic lines, such as, “Not waking up tomorrow is the most beautiful thought I’ve had in a long time” are overshadowed by the writers’ stabs at America’s lack of gun control, police brutality and flawed healthcare system. But even here, there is humour in truth.

The pair (co-creators of Hulu series Ramy, which Carmichael also executive produced) took home the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. This comes down to Katcher’s and Welch’s ability to balance macabre confessions with themes of optimism and brotherhood, ultimately smoothing over any bumpiness caused by too-blatant activism.

Nine times out of ten, you’re laughing because of Abbott (The Forgiven). Kevin’s insecurity and recklessness reminds us of the absurdity of the morbid situation. Whether he’s belting out Last Resort or getting lost in a memory, Abbott has no reservations about playing a man on the edge (the Kit Harington doppelgänger is currently filming Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter, expected in January 2023, in which he plays villainous assassin The Foreigner opposite Aaron Taylor-Johnson).

Carmichael, on the other hand, is stronger in the director’s chair than in front of the actor’s vanity. His monotone line delivery works well to highlight the dynamic between childlike Kevin and sombre Val, but his rock-hard exterior leaves us wanting when our sympathies are supposed to be at their highest.  

Jennifer Stroud’s (Fatman) costuming makes a statement with Kevin’s hooded puffer jacket reminiscent of Hailee Steinfeld’s in The Edge of Seventeen and David Harbour’s in the fourth season of Stranger Things. Are we seeing a revival of the colourful 1980s puffer jacket?

Oscar-nominee Owen Pallett’s soundtrack is ironic. Known for his work on Her and 2019’s Dumbo, Pallett allows the music to speak for the characters. First, The Free Design’s Love You hints at the boys’ return to their pasts before the day has really begun: “Give a little time for the child within you / Don't be afraid to be young and free”. Then, Travis Tritt’s country hit It’s a Great Day to be Alive creates a gut-panging contrast between suicidal Val and his cheery co-worker. Papa Roach’s Last Resort is the real stand-out, highlighting the relationship between two different best friends and Kevin’s fragile mental state. Throw in a meta dialogue reference to the cheesiness of listening to music that matches your current emotions and you’re laughing at the fitting soundtrack.

The final act goes off with a bang – more than once. Sharp editing by Tom Eagles (Jojo Rabbit, The Harder They Fall), paired with Carmichael’s ability to suck you into the miserable lives of two young men as they approach the catastrophic final hour, makes you feel as though you’re the one staring down the barrel.

With this strong directorial debut, Jerrod Carmichael proves that when it comes to shooting comedy, he doesn’t forget to turn off the safety.

On the Count of Three is in select cinemas from September 29, 2022