The Climb Review

 
R: language, sexual content, some nudity, and brief drug useRuntime: 2 Hr and 9 MinutesProduction Companies: Topic Studios, Watch This Ready, Adastra Films Distributor: Sony Pictures ClassicsDirector: Michael Angelo CovinoWriters: Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle MarvinCast: Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin, Gayle Rankin, Judith Godrèche, Talia BalsamRelease Date: March 20, 2020
Kyle and Mike are best friends who share a close bond - until Mike sleeps with Kyle's fiancée. The Climb is about a tumultuous but enduring relationship between two men across many years of laughter, heartbreak and rage. It’s also the story of real-life best friends who turn their profound connection into a rich, humane, and frequently uproarious film about the boundaries (or lack thereof) in all close friendships.
Prior to watching The Climb, I researched the writing/acting duo Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin to see if I was familiar with their work or not. Apparently, I am. They’ve been making their name in the indie film industry by executive producing and/or producing projects together ample times, some that I’ve seen. One of the features they’ve helped bring to life was the 2016 indie drama, Kicks, which was the first Tribeca film I ever attended. Now the duo (and real-life besties) are finally in front of the lens with their buddy comedy, The Climb, which I hope will be a breakthrough hit that will catapult them into recognizable names in the film industry.
The buddy comedy genre takes many different forms, but mostly I usually associate them with a studio comedy format where two polar opposite dudes are in a scenario and bicker to no end until they find common ground in their friendship. I know there are more shapes the sub-genre takes, but lately, that’s what it feels like; however, The Climb ambitiously takes risks and spits in the eye of the standard norms and attempts to revitalize it impressively. Believe it or not, the film is comprised of under 20 shots with an abundant amount of long takes as the narrative sets on Kyle and Mike’s declining friendship. The story is presented through a string of long take vignettes as Mike and Kyle undergo a conflicting friendship, which begins with Mike revealing to Kyle how he slept with his fiancée as they’re biking on a mountain range. Then, the film shifts into a karmic turn of events which leads to Kyle moving on, getting engaged to his high school sweetheart, as a devastated Mike plans to destroy his friend’s happiness.Tackling the three major tasks of director, co-writer, and actor, Michael Angelo Covino showcases that he’s a talented triple threat. At first glance on paper, the premise sounds like something you’ve seen before, but what makes The Climb unique is Covino’s direction and ambition to tell this conventional story in such a rich presentation. It could’ve been a major telegraphed script, and yet, each shot is engrossing, and you can tell as the narrative plays how much effort was put into crafting this during pre-production, especially in regards to the camera movements. It feels as if you're taking on this ride, witnessing the downfall of a toxic friendship, while wearing a VR headset. The camera plays such a significant character to the story, as each pan reveals just a little bit of action and reaction while being in control of the hard-hitting humor and comedic timing. The last thing I expected from a buddy comedy is to have such impressive technical choreography throughout, especially with its cinematography that I hope gets some accolades or recognition throughout the rest of the year.
Besides the impressive direction by Covino, the screenplay and performances by him and Marvin are truly something special. You know they’re besties because their depiction of a toxic friendship is damn perfect. Kyle and Mike are complete, utter losers; Kyle being the pushover and Mike being the selfish asshole, and you know through all the shit they’ve been through that they’re perfect for each other. Their banter and interactions are so relative in such a deep cut fashion that you can either identify yourself as one or know two buddies who are just like that. We’ve all been in a toxic friendship at one point in time and can identify with the deep aspects of why you don’t want to let the blood-sucking parasite go. Mike is like the huge scab on Kyle’s shoulder, and through all the shit Mike puts him through, he kind of goes, “Well, I happen to like this scab and he’ll never go away.” They both have such energy and charisma, and because they’re unknown as actors, it makes their performances even more enticing. It feels like you’re just watching two dudes in a shitty friendship where one has total control of the other.A driving supporting actress (and one of the most recognizable names in this to me) who made this even more engrossing is Gayle Rankin. She just bursts with such confidence and dominance that she both matches with the male actor’s chaos, while simultaneously stealing the show with every scene she appears in. I love how she’s written, too, where she doesn’t take any bullshit from anyone and can see through everyone’s bullshit, especially Mike’s. I'd love to see her lead something because she has so much of that range in between everything I’ve seen her in. 
As much as The Climb is impressively well made and rather funny, it manages to fall under my pet peeves regarding comedies like this where you kind of hate nearly everyone as characters. Mike is too much of an asshole with no redeeming qualities, which I know is intentional, but even in that case you just get frustrated by him too much. And then you hate Kyle for putting up with his shit for so long. Like, seriously, if my best friend ended up sleeping with my fiancée...bruh, “Thank U, Next.” The only person the film often gives the short end of the stick is Rankin’s character Marissa. Kyle’s family, Mike, nearly everyone just hates her and for some reason, they don't show any of her negative qualities. Like, she's the only sane person who calls people out on their bullshit and tells it like it is. She exudes nothing but northeastern energy that I personally reside with, so maybe it’s that! Gayle Rankin for the win!Rating 3.5/5 | 78%