Film Review: Thomas Middleditch’s Joshy Is A Funny, Surprisingly Dark Look Into Suicide

Thomas Middleditch, Nick Kroll, and Adam Pally are some of the few, exceptional comedians that appear in Joshy, which comes out August 12. With actors from Silicon Valley to Mindy Project, you think light-hearted fun with sprinkled drama that seems conquerable through humor. Yet, Joshy, which even sounds light-hearted in title, is far from a light in content.

Josh (Thomas Middleditch) is mourning the suicide of his fiancé Rachel(Allison Brie). The first few minutes f the film delve right into her killing of herself, and it is rough to watch as it a sudden, gruesome scene. For a film presented as a guys’ weekend away, it starts with a grim bang. Daft-forward a few months and Joshy receives a call from a cottage he rented out for his bachelor party. he decides to go through with the festivities, despite the recent tragedy, and calls on his friends Eric (Nick Kroll), Ari (Adam Pally), and Adam (Alex Ross Perry). The men have a hilarious romp and are definitely characters’ within themselves. Each one stands out for their own brand of wit and gags that the add in different scenes. Still, despite stellar comedians and sincere LOL’s, the film was much darker then expected.

I think Joshy is a great film that finds a perfect balance as a dramedy, but you have to enter it with the mindset of ” This is a dramedy!”.When you see the list of actors, you will think it is going to be pure giggles, but there are some serious, tumultuous scenes. After all, the film is about suicide:one of the darkest causes of death. Joshy represents the millions whom wonder why their loved one chose to die rather than live with them. Middleditch is powerful as Joshy and reveals a whole new, dramatic layer to his talents. He is gut-wrenching as a good guy carrying a rightful sadness and confusion. He and his fiancé were supposedly happpy and filled with a promising future. He cannot move on from her decision, which means he struggles with his current present without her. Why was their love not enough? Why was she so selfish?

Again, Joshy is a phenomenal film, but it is a dramedy. It is not the crazy. “guy-party” that its trailers slightly mislead it to be. Of course, there are scenes of humorous debauchery in between extremely impactful looks into depression. Naturally Joshy is trying to rebuild his life and accept his future without his fiancé.  In the same way Sausage Party is an unexpected, insightful analysis of religion, Joshy is a surprisingly serious look into suicide and the ones left behind to pick up their hearts from a tragic loss. I highly recommend those whom have lost a person to suicide to see this film. Middle ditch offers a cathartic/ therapeutic performance.

Joshy comes out in theaters on August 12.