"[18], In 2008, Birbiglia opened Sleepwalk with Me, a one-man show that straddled standup comedy and theater, off-Broadway at the Bleecker Street Theater. With a lot more to come yet, he isnt stopping any time soon, as he continues to write and work, living with his wife Jen Stein and their daughter Oona. (2010) Hardcover Paperback Kindle. Ronald McDonald House The comedy special is very autobiographical in nature for the Orange is the New Black actor, and . Really, I just love it because its exactly the kind of story I love to hear and tell. An American comic and author, hes made a name for himself thats fast become respected throughout the industry. Over his career hes refined this approach to storytelling in order to appropriately mix the funny and the saccharine, in the process becoming one of my favorite comedians. He ends it by playing the guitar, and maybe its because I watched it only after I saw the rest of his specials, but it really didnt work for me. Exploring new territories or . By Charlie Swanson. He was that one kid who was really excited about Google+ and is still sad about how that turned out. In early 2008, Mike Birbiglia made "Secret Public Journal" into a one-hour special entitled "Mike Birbiglia: What I Should Have Said Was Nothing." The special premiered on Comedy Central. Mike Birbiglia. [40] He toured My Girlfriend's Boyfriend around the world with tour dates in the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Heres my opinion on all four of his stand-up specials, which can all be streamed on Netflix. Birbiglia's last stage show, The New One, received the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Solo Performance, and became a Netflix special. Sept. 20, 2022. Mike Birbiglia - My Girlfriend's Boyfriend. Maybe hell make that into a special too and I can rank that one when its out. She channeled her grief into poems until she decided to give up writing to get over his death. I threw this one on at 2 a.m. one summer night years ago and have thought about it regularly ever since. Theres no answer, he said. In 2016 comedian Mike Birbiglia and poet Jennifer Hope Stein took their fourteen-month-old daughter Oona to the Nantucket Film Festival. The two disgraced men have both been sentenced for sex crimes. We are thrilled by the continued interest in . Sometimes crass, always thoughtful and sweet, he's comedy's #1 Wife Guy, and I'm happy to report it's not just because he's constantly . Its largely impersonal and not really as absurd or outright silly as his best jokes are. For her special, titled Black Mitzvah, Haddish imbues coming-of-age anecdotes with . And so anything that you can do thats positive for other people feels, feels like something.. An earlier joke comes full circle to end things off and I just couldnt wipe the smirk off my face as he well and truly stuck the landing. Really, I just love it because its exactly the kind of story I love to hear and tell. His delivery isnt what it settles into in his later work, and it kind of ends before it really gets off the ground. Enjoyed by many, his work his both accessible and entertaining in equal measure, having performed both on-screen and off. Somewhat famously, Mike Birbiglia has a dangerous sleepwalking . Mike Birbiglia is better described as a hilariously funny performer, rather than a straight-up joke teller. [35][36][37], In addition to starring in Sleepwalk with Me, Birbiglia has appeared in films such as Trainwreck, Going the Distance, Cedar Rapids, Your Sister's Sister and The Fault in Our Stars. Hes also stubborn to a fault and that leads to trouble. It's the second production he's brought to Broadway following . Writing Career: He becomes the sort of guy who maxes out his credit card in order to impress a girl but nonetheless struggles to be the best boyfriend. I never break in the middle of that.. Its a fantastic moment when we finally get to it, but before then, the special is peppered with all kinds of stories about inappropriate jokes, mishaps with the Muppets, and cat-based puns, which Im ashamed to say really got to me. He was a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor award in 2011 following his debut becoming a New York Times bestseller. Sometimes crass, always thoughtful and sweet, he's comedy's #1 Wife Guy, and I'm happy to report it's not just because he's constantly jabbing at Jenny, his wife, in his specials. Its a premise rooted in arguments that the comedy scene has gone back and forth on for years. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. The New One marks a return to the more intimate storytelling of Mikes best work (more on that in a bit) and brings the focus back to his relationship with his wife. Outside of this, Birbiglia just shines as a craftsman of smart and inane jokes, like proposing that since we managed to get rid of smoking on airplanes, we should also get rid of babies on them. Comedians are storytellers by nature and have to be pretty damn good ones to stay in the business, which makes the way this story winds up revolving around this couch touch and impress me. In this exclusive to Newsweek, comedian Mike Birbiglia discusses "The New One," the dark comedy of fatherhood with magnitude that could only fit on Broadway. In the past hes spoken about his rapid eye movement sleep disorder, something which has involved him sleepwalking. [61], Birbiglia has rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, which once caused him to run out of a second-story window of a motel he was staying in Walla Walla, Washington while on tour. Instead of necessarily drawing a line in the sand and picking a side, Birbiglia meditates on times he has or hasnt crossed it and pens an ode to his love of jokes that works better than it should. Mike Birbiglia Can't Get 'Hadestown' Out of His Head. His stand-up style is the opposite of aggressive, but there are moments when his pacing seems . Just not at bedtime you wont be able to put her thrillers down! The New One: Painfully True Stories From a Reluctant Dad Weve got romance, breakups, emotionally loaded dumplings this episode has a little bit of everything! The Magician's Elephant. Its also perfectly paced, building magnificently to one of the best jokes Ive ever heard about being self destructive, one that I cant bring myself to spoil here. Its largely impersonal and not really as absurd or outright silly as his best jokes are. As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases. Staller Center - Main Stage Stony Brook, NY Buy Tickets. Breaking down the contenders in the seasons most unpredictable Oscar race. Mike Birbiglia knows what he's doing: At this point, his act is baked to golden perfection. 2. Published through the Grand Central Publishing outlet this time, this would come out in 2020 on the 14th of July. Every 2 weeks we send out an e-mail with 12 Book Recommendations by genre. An incredible author who just recently released a sequel to her hit, The Housemaid. Special Event: Mike Birbiglia: Working It Out. Hes also stubborn to a fault and that leads to trouble. [30] The film was produced by Jacob Jaffke and This American Life's Ira Glass and stars Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane, James Rebhorn, and Cristin Milioti and has cameos by Glass, Kristen Schaal, Wyatt Cenac, David Wain, Jessi Klein, John Lutz and Marc Maron. Littered throughout are some of the best self-deprecating barbs Ive ever heard, like, I like to dress down to perpetuate the myth that I might be a fixer-upper, or Im a sex maybe.. Sun, Feb 26, 2023 LOGIN Subscribe for $1 10:15 AM EST, Thu November 17, 2022. An earlier joke comes full circle to end things off and I just couldnt wipe the smirk off my face as he well and truly stuck the landing. And so the show loops backward, through his early memories of a grimy, unpleasant YMCA and the terrifying old men who populate it, through youth sports, through Birbiglias several baroque health issues. 4. Looking at it from a funny angle, his stories ring true in a manner thats relatable and down-to-earth, regardless of where the readers are from. He becomes the sort of guy who maxes out his credit card in order to impress a girl but nonetheless struggles to be the best boyfriend. Free shipping for many products! This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This password will be used to sign into all, a Vulture critic who covers TV and comedy, Shania Twain Gives Rare Update on Her Ex-Husband and Ex-BFF, 6 Stand-ups Analyze ChatGPTs Attempts to Steal Their Jobs, Bad Projection Is Ruining the Movie Theater Experience, How to Watch and Stream Every 2023 Oscar-Nominated Movie, Travis Barkers Finger Is Now the Enema of Blink-182 Fans. ( by @celestesloman)", "Jimmy Kimmel's Replacement Has Been Chosen", "Comedian Birbiglia invites us to sleepwalk", "Mike Birbiglia started in improv. This special is as straightforward as they come, especially when it comes to Mike Birbiglias work. As a matter of fact, shes a starring character in his best work. All remaining performances for Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool are completely sold out. Once again theres an overarching story of how Birbiglia was nearly killed in a car crash and how he tried to fight the case that claimed he had to pay for the repair of the car that hit him. [41][42] My Girlfriend's Boyfriend was featured as the number one stand-up special of 2013 by Vulture,[43] Paste,[44] The Laugh Button[45] and Laughspin. Or when Jenny tells him that she thinks they would make good parents and Mike, likening baby fever to a zombie virus, jokingly reaches for a shotgun and shouts You got bit! The jokes in this special never fail to get a chuckle out of me. I have a problem where sometimes when I think that Im right about something, it can be a real source of tension between me and the person Im arguing with. Thank God For Jokes is Birbiglias second most recent special, and it definitely gets points just for being filmed at my old job, so shout out to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Following this he would go on to write the memoir The New One: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad in 2020. Its sort of early days for him and you can tell. If you run into him, please let him know. He should consider his family medical history. Subscribe today! Following Mikes spiral and hearing about how much trouble he faced in his relationship especially helps the final peaceful and loving lines really hit home. In it, Birbiglia tells the overarching story of how he roasted director David ORussell at an awards ceremony where the director was being honored. Club[16], In 2008 CBS picked up a sitcom pilot loosely based on Birbiglia's life and featuring himself, Bob Odenkirk and Frances Conroy that ultimately never aired. All Rights Reserved, 4. He giggled so hard he had to turn away from the crowd. But there are moments that do capture that feeling of expansiveness, and the squirming discomfort of the interplay between humor and despair. Birbiglia skillfully pivots from discussing our darkest fears to our greatest joys. Mike Birbiglia's early brushes with showbusiness wouldn't end at the D.C. Improv. Up now on @spotifypodcasts. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend (DVD, 2013) Brand NEW - Region Free at the best online prices at eBay! Were not guaranteed the right to a satisfying ending is the kind of final note thats on just the wrong side of too pat. There are distinct differences like it being a hand grenade not a missile and landing in an alley not the lawn of a hotel! Its stand-up comedy at its essence, beautifully joke-dense and always working inside a context of playfulness rather than bleak self-discovery. This special is as . Taking from his own life, it would contain a lot of true life stories, many of them filled with humorous and witty observations. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Amy Schumer: The Leather Special was . Mike Birbiglia. Moises Taveras is an intern for Paste Magazine and the managing editor of his college newspaper, the Brooklyn College Vanguard. Thank God For Jokes is Birbiglias second most recent special, and it definitely gets points just for being filmed at my old job, so shout out to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The version we do have is gratifying. "A comedian and artful storyteller at the top of his game"- Entertainment Weekly. Happy 14 years, my soft voiced poet love @jhopestein. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Mikes a bit of a favorite of mine because he feels like a storyteller first and a comic second, though that isnt to say hes not as funny as he is good at spinning a yarn. Arizona State Sun Devils. He also cursed in front of the Muppets, so. [P] Mike Birbiglia, trendsetter. He moves the themes into place, anchored by particular images and rhythms (that chlorine smell, for instance, or an especially rhythmic pattern of exchange). He also cursed in front of the Muppets, so. Mike Birbiglia on stage in his Netflix comedy special "The New One." ( Eric Liebowitz/Netflix) "So that night, I'm not making this up, Joe won a bunch of raffle items. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that will turn . This special - My Girlfriend's Boyfriend - is what you would call a 'One Man Show, or even 'An Evening With.' Mike's talent lies in long form story telling, usually in . Last Thursday, it became too much, and he broke on stage. He is an actor and writer, known for Sleepwalk with Me (2012), Mike Birbiglia: What I Should Have Said Was Nothing (2008), and Your Sister's Sister (2011). Mike Birbiglia is an American standup comedian, actor, director and writer. [4] He is partially of Italian descent and was raised Catholic. So, hey, why not rank his specials, already? Offscreen, he was one himself. After Dax Shepard asked her about her musical chairs relationship situation. At one point during Mike Birbiglias new Broadway show, The Old Man and The Pool, he jokingly scolds the audience for laughing over a story about the death of a man in a YMCA pool. In 2010 Mike Birbiglia would release his first book Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories, which would be based upon his stage performance. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, youll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. Product details MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated) Comedians are storytellers by nature and have to be pretty damn good ones to stay in the business, which makes the way this story winds up revolving around this couch touch and impress me. From his childhood to his present life at thirty-two, it encompasses his many experiences in a witty and irreverent manner. On the heels of his hit Broadway show The Old Man and the Pool, Mike Birbiglia works out new jokes and stories, improvises, and takes questions from the audience. Itd feel overdetermined if it werent such a fitting match for the painstaking care of his writing. [28] It was selected in the "Festival Favorites" category at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas [29] and also appeared in the Nantucket Film Festival where it won the award for best writer/director. This special is as straightforward as they come, especially when it comes to Mike Birbiglia's work. 4 . Whats Next for Convicted Sex Criminals Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly? And like, what if, what if I scold? ", "Mike Birbiglia: The New One Begins Off-Broadway", "Comedians find new ways to their audience amid the coronavirus outbreak", "Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool", "Comedian Mike Birbiglia returns to the scene of the crime", "Comedian Mike Birbiglia finds comedy in tragedy", "Mike Birbiglia's Jewish Wife Is the Star of His Hilarious Parenting Comedy Special", "Mike Birbiglia on President Obama's Parenting Advice Moms & Babies Celebrity Babies and Kids - Moms & Babies - People.com", "Edward Norton, Bella Thorne, Jim Gaffigan Join Animated 'Guardian Brothers', "Mike Birbiglia won't tear you a new one", This American Life: Hand It Over Stories from Our First Year on the Air, Lies, Sissies, and Fiascoes: The Best of This American Life, Crimebusters + Crossed Wires: Stories from This American Life, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Birbiglia&oldid=1141950470, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 2 episodes: "Slow Your Roll" and "Wingwoman", Outstanding Comedian in a Major Engagement, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 18:45. Specifically, it hones in on their road to becoming parents. His sister was able to get him an interview on Conan OBrien's show as an intern, where he worked for associate producer Jordan Schlansky. Its cathartic for the people who lock into it because its that thing of like, Oh my God, its all just so absurd, he laughed. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. Its a rhetorical mainstay, ubiquitous across ad campaigns and news reports and fairy tales and every stand-up joke about how men are like this and women are like that. According to Birbiglia's website, he's filmed two specials for Netflix: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend and Thank God for Jokes. Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool was originally produced by Center Theatre Group, making its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 2022, following a developmental run at . With Mike Birbiglia providing another memoir, this would focus on the next chapter in his life; fatherhood, and what it means to him. I was doing an outdoor show at a race track in New Jersey, not kidding, and my agent goes this should be on Broadway., He held the attention of a crowd that ranged in age from about 12 to elderly and saw they were all laughing their butts off.. And then I was like, Oh, actually thats a little too much. And then I just started toying with the idea of like how much is too much laughter kind of thing. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much The very end is a clever jab, a startling shock of narrative satisfaction being withheld, for instance, but its cleverness is also suspiciously clean. Birbiglia is really in his element when hes cracking jokes that stem from his relationships, not because its good fodder but because hes unafraid to delve into the genuine sentiments behind them and also deliver a good joke. [53], In April 2017, Birbiglia announced a tour of his newest show titled The New One. Did you encounter any technical issues? [52], Birbiglia's Thank God for Jokes comedy special was released on Netflix on February 28, 2017. Sleepwalk With Me and Other Painfully True Stories. Others (like Birbiglia, in my opinion) are well aware of the line, flirt with it in order to give comedy the bite it needs, but also avoids steering too far over the line and alienating an audience. Theres no answer to any of it.. I often get asked by readers if they can donate to the site as a thank you for all the hard work. The crowd cant stop laughing. [48], For his second film, Birbiglia drew upon his early experience with improv in Don't Think Twice (2016), which centers on a fictional Manhattan improv troupe. . And then he pauses. Thank God For Jokes is Birbiglias second most recent special, and it definitely gets points just for being filmed at my old job, so shout out to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Like we stopped or put on hold three or four marriages, you know We werent like the best in the world, Im sure there are better in Europe, Birbiglia jokes at one point. [19][20] The show was presented by Nathan Lane, and The New York Times called it "simply perfect". Birbiglia's "The Old Man and the Pool" runs from now until Jan. 15, seven times a week at the Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater. Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza do not seem like a match made in action-comedy-chemistry heaven, but it somehow works. Friday, April 21, 2023 8:00 PM. Steppenwolf members receive a special discount on tickets for The Old Man and the Pool. A longer 90 minute version was released on DVD April 8th, along with a tour documentary named, as somewhat of a warning, "Strictly for Fans." SUBSCRIBE TO MIKE'S MAILING LIST * indicates required indicates required. FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2023 8PM. And the reason its a source of tension is that Im right. That tension paves the way for a trek through Birbiglias sometimes tumultuous love life, tracing back to his first kiss and up to his eventual marriage to Jenny. He is the youngest of four children. Still writing and performing to this day, he has plenty more planned on the horizon, as his writing grows on. And people were laughing somehow. . I have a problem where sometimes when I think that Im right about something, it can be a real source of tension between me and the person Im arguing with. At least on Netflix, Tiffany Haddish's performance energy is unparalleled. NYT Critic's Pick. Part stand-up, part storytelling, Mike Birbiglia 's comedy specials are some of our favorites. And yet there is a ghost of a different version of this show that lingers somewhere in the background, one that worries less about translating massive fears into digestible images, and spends a little more time treading water in the deep end. Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix have broken up after he allegedly cheated on her with Raquel Leviss. The film premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and won the NEXT Audience Award. Writer: Mike Birbiglia: The New One. Theres also just a lot of anti-kid sentiments in this show that Im looking forward to his daughter unpacking when she sees it years from now. But first, the special starts with a couch. Published Ive had a lot of people say after the show, I called my parents after the show, I called my kids and told them I loved them after the show, and whatever that thing is, all of those feel positive to me, he said. He stares, he admonishes, he reminds the crowd what, exactly, theyre laughing at. It's pretty rare you can call a stand-up special "powerful", but I wouldn't hesitate to call either of the Birbiglia specials I . After putting out one of the funniest comedy specials of 2017 in which he celebrated and defended the defense of jokes, Mike Birbiglia's new Netflix special, The New One, is . 27. The Old Man and the Pool has been in Birbiglias mind in some version for about six years now. About Mike Birbiglia [21] Time Out New York named it their "Show of the Year" in 2009. He previously suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18, and was ultimately taken off life support. These comic gems strung together . Just because it never happened doesnt mean they cant get back together. Staller Center - Main Stage Stony Brook, NY Buy Tickets. Obviously, were living in the strangest of times of the last century. Mike Birbiglia is a comic that stands apart. (2020) Hardcover Paperback Kindle. [54] The tour started with 25 cities and, in December 2017, featured a limited podcast titled The Old Ones. Sometimes crass, always thoughtful and sweet, hes comedys #1 Wife Guy, and Im happy to report its not just because hes constantly jabbing at Jenny, his wife, in his specials. His doctor says he should swim, which means that first he needs to learn how to swim. Comedians are storytellers by nature and have to be pretty damn good ones to stay in the business, which makes the way this story winds up revolving around this couch touch and impress me. He feels himself aging. Theres a small image a frightening memory of an old guy sitting in the locker room, rubbing lotion on his thighs and tied to it, theres that awareness of something immense and harder to reach. Its not without its redeeming jokesthe specials namesake is one of thosebut even those just amount to a patchwork of funny lines missing the connective tissue you expect from himsomething Birbiglia has really doubled down on and refined ever since this show. Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend. Hope Stein, and whose work is featured in The New One. All Rights Reserved, 4. Sign UpYes, I would like to receive Paste's newsletter, 2023 Paste Media Group. In 2017, Mike was honored with the Kurt Vonnegut Award for humor. The show was a pivotal stepping stone for many of todays stand-up stars, including Dave Chappelle, Patton Oswalt, Amy Schumer, Jim Gaffigan, Kevin Hart, Zach Galifianakis, Dane Cook, Bill Burr, Wanda Sykes and Maria Bamford.#StandUp #MikeBirbigliaSubscribe to Comedy Central Stand-Up: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtw7q4SyOeoCwM1i_3x8lDg?sub_confirmation=1Watch more Comedy Central Stand-Up: https://www.youtube.com/standupFollow Comedy Central Stand-Up:Twitter: https://twitter.com/standupFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/standupInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccstandupWatch full Comedy Central stand-up specials: http://www.cc.com/shows/stand-upComedy Central Stand-Up: Anti-Bias Statement: https://www.cc.com/info/k32ti7/ccsu-anti-bias-statement Its not just a repeating phrase its a way to come to terms with the fact that there are some things we cannot escape. I can't believe you sleepwalked and did a podcast with a different voice. Read An Excerpt. The new additions are from Amy Schumer and Mike Birbiglia. Mike Birbiglia is a comic that stands apart. [66], Audio releases (physical and/or digital formats). Its a fantastic moment when we finally get to it, but before then, the special is peppered with all kinds of stories about inappropriate jokes, mishaps with the Muppets, and cat-based puns, which Im ashamed to say really got to me. Outside of this, Birbiglia just shines as a craftsman of smart and inane jokes, like proposing that since we managed to get rid of smoking on airplanes, we should also get rid of babies on them. He has written and performed a series of award-winning solo plays, including Sleepwalk with Me, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend and Thank . (Its a testament to the careful way his life has been knotted together with the arc of his career that theres a warm laugh when a doctor asks if Birbiglia has any sleep issues.) Brooklyn, New York, United States. The Old Man and The Pool is currently playing at Lincoln Center in New York City. This would also spill over into writing, as he would create his own material to perform before a live audience on a regular basis. Its sort of early days for him and you can tell. Released on the 12th of October, it would follow on from Birbiglias stage performance of the same name, and would contain a number of stories from his life. [55] The New One made its off-Broadway debut at the Cherry Lane Theatre on July 26 and was scheduled to run through August 2 before a high demand for tickets extended the show's run to and through August 26.[56]. Discovery Company. It originally had a different name. This couch becomes a bit of a touchstone and a multifaceted one too. Its blindingly, refreshingly earnest. [10] During college he performed as a member of the Georgetown Players Improv Troupe, worked as a server in a comedy club, and began performing at DC Improv (The Improv) in Washington, D.C.[11][9], Birbiglia began doing improv in 1997. As a result of the accident, Birbiglia received 33 stitches in his leg. Sign UpYes, I would like to receive Paste's newsletter, 2023 Paste Media Group. I think at the time it was called The YMCA Pool. And then we were shut down. Mike Birbiglia's latest monologue starts with a traumatic event in this case, a car accident and wraps it in nutty anecdotes and meandering detours but somehow never loses the audience . Its also perfectly paced, building magnificently to one of the best jokes Ive ever heard about being self destructive, one that I cant bring myself to spoil here. Many parents will be able to relate to it, as it doesnt hold back, providing an honest account of bringing up a child in the modern world. We were pretty good at it. Armstrong`s Pro-Classic Ceramic Series. This includes acting in various shows too, such as Orange is the New Black, and various stand-up specials for Netflix. [12] Birbiglia moved to New York in 2000,[13] and appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2002. Its also perfectly paced, building magnificently to one of the best jokes Ive ever heard about being self destructive, one that I cant bring myself to spoil here. For the sake of writerly tidiness, The Old Man and the Pool sometimes leans too far away from its own dark messiness.