Director's Vision and Cinematic Style:
The film is directed by David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano, both of whom bring their unique sensibilities to the project. Craig’s experience in writing and directing often involves sharp social observations, while Crano’s work tends to explore the complexities of human relationships with a mix of humor and emotional depth. Together, they’ve created a film that moves between multiple genres—comedy, horror, romance, and drama—blurring the lines in a way that keeps the audience on edge while still engaging them with character-driven moments.
The film’s style shifts between lighthearted, romantic comedy and tense, unsettling horror. This genre-blending is an essential part of the film’s identity, and the tone remains unpredictable throughout. The direction plays with contrasts—one minute the characters are experiencing awkwardly funny miscommunications with the locals, the next, they are confronted by surreal, almost supernatural events that twist the plot in an unsettling direction. The eerie atmosphere of the rural Italian countryside is used to enhance this sense of foreboding.
Setting: The Italian Countryside and its Symbolism:
The setting plays a crucial role in shaping the characters’ emotional journey. The Italian countryside, with its remote, picturesque villages, is a place of romantic beauty but also isolation. While the location initially promises serenity and relaxation, it also serves as a metaphor for the couple’s emotional state: distant, uncharted, and full of unknowns.
The couple’s physical and emotional isolation mirrors the alienation they feel in their relationship, as well as their struggles with impending parenthood. Their disconnection from the local language and culture highlights their inability to truly understand each other’s inner fears and desires. The setting itself becomes a character—a silent, looming force that contributes to their growing anxiety and challenges.
Plot Breakdown:
The film begins with Dom (Nick Kroll) and Cole (Andrew Rannells) eagerly preparing for their vacation in Italy. The couple is in the midst of finalizing their adoption process and hopes that this getaway will be a chance to reconnect before their lives become more complicated. However, the trip starts off on the wrong foot when they lose their luggage and struggle to communicate with the locals due to the language barrier.
Despite the initial challenges, they find themselves in a charming but remote village, cut off from the rest of the world. With no access to transportation or proper means of communication, they are forced to stay in a run-down villa, where their tensions begin to bubble to the surface. The frustrations that come with being stranded in a foreign land amplify their already existing insecurities and unresolved issues within their relationship.
As the days pass, the couple begins to experience strange occurrences: odd symbols carved into the walls of their villa, bizarre dreams, and eerie sounds at night. These moments of horror serve as physical manifestations of their growing fears—about the future, their relationship, and their readiness for parenthood. What starts as a simple misunderstanding—like not being able to order food properly—becomes a deeper sense of disorientation as they find themselves questioning reality. Are the strange events in the villa simply their paranoia at work, or is something supernatural at play?
The couple’s relationship becomes increasingly strained as the days go on. Dom, who is more outwardly optimistic, starts to doubt whether he is truly ready to be a father, especially when Cole seems to become distant and withdrawn. Cole, on the other hand, begins to feel trapped—he’s unsure of whether he can live up to the expectations that come with adopting a child, and he feels as though Dom is oblivious to his inner turmoil. The horror elements represent their subconscious anxieties manifesting physically. The external chaos mirrors the internal chaos they are experiencing.
By the end of the film, Dom and Cole are pushed to their emotional limits, leading to a tense confrontation where they finally express their deepest fears and insecurities to one another. This confrontation is not only about their relationship but also about the expectations placed on them as a couple preparing for parenthood. Their journey toward understanding each other reaches its climax in a moment of revelation, where they realize that true intimacy requires vulnerability and the ability to face the unknowns of life together, even if they don’t fully understand each other.
Character Development and Performances:
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Dom (Nick Kroll): Dom is portrayed as the more extroverted and optimistic half of the couple. At the beginning of the film, he is excited about the trip and the future of their growing family. However, as their isolation in Italy drags on, he begins to question whether he’s truly ready for the responsibility of parenthood. Kroll’s performance balances humor with vulnerability, making Dom both relatable and endearing. His comedic timing is spot-on, but it’s his ability to convey emotional complexity that really anchors the character.
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Cole (Andrew Rannells): Cole, by contrast, is more introspective and reserved. He’s a character who internalizes his fears and often communicates through passive-aggressive humor or sarcasm. Rannells brings a subtlety to the role that allows Cole’s anxieties to gradually surface, culminating in a raw emotional moment when he finally reveals his deepest fears about becoming a parent. The tension between Dom and Cole is the heart of the film, and their performances work together seamlessly to bring the emotional core to life.
The dynamic between Kroll and Rannells is one of the film’s strongest aspects. Their chemistry feels authentic, and their ability to shift from lighthearted banter to serious emotional revelations feels effortless.
Themes Explored in Depth:
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Communication and Misunderstanding: The title itself, I Don’t Understand You, sets the stage for the film’s exploration of how communication (or lack thereof) can fracture relationships. The couple’s literal inability to speak the language of their hosts is symbolic of the broader inability to understand each other’s emotional language. As they struggle to make themselves understood in a foreign country, they are forced to confront the ways in which they have failed to truly understand one another.
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The Fear of Change and Uncertainty: The couple’s imminent transition to parenthood amplifies their fears about their relationship’s stability. Adoption, as a process that requires deep emotional commitment, is a daunting prospect, and the tension of being in an unfamiliar place forces them to confront the uncertainty about their future roles as parents. This theme is explored not only through the couple’s interactions but also through the supernatural elements, which serve as metaphors for the unknown aspects of their future.
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Queer Identity and the Pressure of Expectations: The film touches on the broader theme of queer identity in the context of societal expectations. While Dom and Cole are an established couple, their decision to adopt adds another layer of pressure, especially in a world that often doesn’t fully embrace non-traditional family structures. The horror-comedy elements allow the film to play with these themes in a more humorous, yet poignant, way.
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Psychological Horror as a Reflection of Inner Turmoil: The horror elements in the film aren’t necessarily meant to be terrifying in the traditional sense but instead are psychological and symbolic. The strange happenings in the villa mirror the couple’s deep-seated emotional fears, making the horror feel intimate rather than external. This reflection of internal fear through external events creates a heightened sense of emotional intensity and suspense.
Cultural Commentary and Representation:
The film’s exploration of queer relationships and the complexities of modern love offers a fresh perspective in the comedy-horror genre. By presenting a queer couple in the midst of a life-changing transition, the film speaks to the broader conversation about the diversity of family structures and the challenges queer couples face in a world that can be unwelcoming or misunderstood. The use of Italy as a setting adds an international flair, but it also underscores the notion of being an outsider, both in a physical and emotional sense.
The horror-comedy genre, typically dominated by straight relationships or more universal horror tropes, is subverted here by focusing on the emotional and relational tensions specific to queer identities. This unique angle makes I Don’t Understand You stand out as a film that combines genre experimentation with meaningful character exploration.
Conclusion:
I Don’t Understand You (2024) is a thought-provoking, genre-defying film that expertly blends humor, horror, and heartfelt drama. Its rich exploration of communication, fear, and the complexities of modern relationships makes it an engaging and emotionally resonant experience. The juxtaposition of comedy and horror works to highlight the discomfort and vulnerability inherent in facing the unknown, both in relationships and in life. With standout performances from Kroll and Rannells, a beautiful yet haunting setting, and a unique narrative structure, the film challenges expectations and leaves a lasting impression on its audience.