Don’t Tell Larry is a dark comedy film by Greg Porper and John Schimcke. The film follows the ambitious corporate executive, Susan, and her co-worker, Patrick as they deal with the various consequences of telling a small lie to their newest eccentric co-worker Larry. Starring Patty Guggenheim, Kiel Kennedy, and Kenneth Mosley, Don’t Tell Larry is currently debuting at film festivals through the month of November as a result of the SAG-AFTRA Interim agreement. Comedy has been a genre that has been slowly fading from the cinema as of late so it was refreshing to see that there are still some filmmakers that aren’t afraid to dip their toes into this sphere.

Don’t Tell Larry is a comedy in the truest sense. It’s irreverent and silly without much logic behind it. While this certainly makes for some solid gags and a memorable supporting cast, it may be a detractor for some viewers. I wouldn’t go into the film expecting deep nuanced characters or a complex plot line. The directors themselves stated that “the film isn’t trying to make any political statements or provide strong social commentary.” Instead, the focus is on delivering an entertaining product. If you simply want something fun then I think you’ll find something to enjoy here.

Don’t Tell Larry isn’t afraid of extremes and I enjoyed the consistent escalation of stakes throughout the film. The performances from the main cast are pretty solid, especially from Kiel Kennedy who plays Larry. He strikes a balance between quirky, naïve child, and outright sociopath with his character, always demanding your attention. In terms of other characters, I found our protagonist Susan could have used further characterization, as her core motivations are relatively weak. However, the supporting cast here is also fantastic. Many of the best jokes often come from the side characters with only limited scenes such as Gene the security guard or company executive Cody.

Another thing I enjoyed quite a bit about Don’t Tell Larry is how it includes many elements from the thriller and horror genre. This resulted in a crazy final act that had me chuckling with the absurdity of it all. I respect the film for refusing to shy away from more sensitive topics within the confines of its humor. For example, death is often a vessel for comedy here. Though some viewers may find that distasteful, I believe that comedy is nothing without risk. Often, some of the funniest jokes are ones that provoke the strongest or most complex emotional response from an audience.

Sometimes that can mean a joke might make you laugh but also cringe from disgust or slight guilt. A key aspect that I often look for when separating comedy from outright hate or blatant disrespect is within the execution. If you can present sensitive topics in a clever way, that’s a good sign that your intentions are solid. I feel Don’t Tell Larry is able to do that with all the elements of dark comedy and it’s these aspects which help the film to stand out from others within the same genre.

Although I did enjoy the film overall, there are still some weaknesses worth mentioning. Much of the early characterization is instead forced and the script utilizes much telling rather than showing within the early acts. As a result, you have a fair number of scenes that play out in a somewhat clunky fashion. The music was also rather unremarkable with most tracks feeling more like background noise or stock audio. I understand that budgetary restraints are a real factor when creating a film but I feel that including more distinct audio could have helped certain moments stand out more.

In terms of other aspects such as cinematography and production design, there isn’t much that stands out here. However, nothing is glaringly poor quality either and the camera work and editing all do solid work at setting up establishing shots and emphasizing moments when necessary. While Don’t Tell Larry isn’t the funniest movie I’ve ever seen, I certainly enjoyed my experience with it. There are some solid foundations built here and I would like to see more from Porper and Schimcke in the future.

An advance screening of Don’t Tell Larry was provided by Pro Key Entertainment for this review.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Don't Tell Larry

6

Score

6.0/10

Pros

• Kiel Kennedy's performance
• Good side characters
• Dark comedy
• Light horror elements

Cons

• Weak early half
• Telling v.s Showing
• Bland score