Review: The Overnight (2015), a Cringe Comedy Movie

Though cringe comedy is nothing new, it’s certainly making a comeback in both television and film. Comedians like Larry David have made an entire career out of the concept, while media historians like Noël Carroll have analyzed cringe comedy in relation to incongruity theory and its place in modern society. In any case, it is a very specific kind of humor that appeals to those who delight in the uncomfortable feeling of social mishaps. Though Patrick Brice’s The Overnight (2015) was primarily marketed as a sex comedy, it derives most of its humor from social awkwardness and bizarre caricatures, making it one of the best examples of cinematic cringe comedy in years. 

In The Overnight, Alex (Adam Scott) and Emily (Taylor Schilling) have recently moved to Los Angeles. Though Emily feels relatively confident with the move, Alex is worried that he hasn’t made any adult friends. Moreover, he’s unsure how an adult can even make new friends with other adults. 

While taking their young son to the park, they meet Kurt (Jason Schwartzman), an eccentric and overly friendly father of one. Since their sons have quickly formed a bond at the park, Kurt invites the couple to his house for a playdate. Happy to have found a potential friend in Kurt, they accept the invitation.

Once the couple arrives, they meet Kurt’s wife, Charlotte (Judith Godrèche, The Disenchanted), who gives them a warm welcome. However, the couple’s reservations about Kurt and Charlotte’s eccentricity only grows as the night goes on. Once they put the children to bed, Kurt informs everyone that Charlotte is an actress. He then proceeds to show one of her “films,” which is actually an infomercial in which Charlotte reveals her breasts to demonstrate how to use a breast pump. 

As the alcohol and marijuana put everyone in a stupor, Emily begins to worry about Kurt and Charlotte’s intentions. Though Alex feels like he’s finally finding his true sense of self, Emily fears that they’ve inadvertently gotten involved with a pair of swingers. With time, Alex also shares Emily’s fears and the couple decides to confront Kurt and Charlotte on their bizarre behavior.

It’s difficult to explain what makes The Overnight work so well. Jason Schwartzman’s performance as the eccentric husband creates much of the “social awkwardness,” while Judith Godrèche’s portrayal of the hyper-sexual French wife helps drive the plot toward its uncomfortable climax. Meanwhile, Adam Scott does what Adam Scott does best; he plays the slightly awkward straight man who serves as a necessary antithesis to his hosts. 

Though I’m not a fan of Taylor Schilling as an actress, she works well as the slightly uptight and paranoid half of the “normal” couple. Her quiet look of panic whenever Charlotte flaunts her sexuality only adds to the tension. All the while, she can’t seem to figure out which fire to put out first. 

This is part of what makes The Overnight so much funnier than it should be. On the surface, it appears like any other generic sex comedy about quirky characters and awkward situations. However, The Overnight takes things a step further by presenting so many uncomfortable, yet believable events. Since much of the film’s appeal lies in the surprise of each subsequent social indiscretion, I won’t give too much away with spoilers. All that I will say is that viewers should expect the unexpected.

Many sex or cringe comedies fail because of poor writing or limited talent. Most truly talented actors shy away from these kinds of “low brow” comedies. It’s refreshing to see genuinely talented players like Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche take on such a hilarious, yet unpretentious script. Fortunately, director Patrick Brice didn’t get in the way of his actors. Though it may or may not have been tightly scripted, the dialogue often feels as if it were made up on the spot. This naturalism is vital to elevate a cringe comedy film and make it feel genuine.

Stylistically, Patrick Brice keeps things quiet and simple. Ultimately, this isn’t a film that takes any risks in its visual or narrative style. Instead, it rests on the talent of its actors and the quality of its script. Usually, I would be more critical of a film that takes a “by-the-books” approach to cinematography and mise-en-scène, but The Overnight doesn’t need any special tricks or visual stylization.

With certain stories, artistic license can be more of a distraction than anything else. With a cringe comedy like The Overnight, the emphasis has to be on realism amplified to the point of absurdity. We’ve all been put in awkward situations; The Overnight takes the experiences of many and turns up the heat to an uncomfortable degree. Thus, its genius lies in its simplicity.

For those who study the underlying theories and philosophy of comedy, cringe comedy is a particularly interesting subject. Much like horror, it takes something that should be repulsive (or at least unpleasant) and makes it enjoyable. In horror, the monster is often a combination of the natural and the unnatural; a juxtaposition of incongruous parts. 

In cringe comedy, incongruous elements are put together and, once the audience realizes or recognizes this juxtaposition, it becomes humorous. In The Overnight, there are almost too many examples to give, but the primary juxtaposition is between the laid-back, “normal” couple (Alex and Emily) and the bizarre, eccentric, hyper-sexual couple (Kurt and Charlotte). Theorists argue whether the incongruity truly lies in the objects being perceived or if it lies in the shift in our perception of the objects, but that’s a discussion for another day.

In short, there’s very little I can say that will prepare you for The Overnight (2015). The film flew under the radar and received a mediocre critical response. Nonetheless, it is one of the best cringe comedy movies to come out in a long time. Patrick Brice took a simplistic script and turned it into something truly cringe-worthy, and it’s absolutely brilliant.

The Overnight (2015) Movie Rating: ★★★★ out of 5

If you’d like to watch The Overnight (2015), it is currently available to stream via Hulu or purchase via Amazon. For more film reviews like this one, check out the Philosophy in Film Homepage!