3/5 stars

From the up-and-coming director Bob Byington comes a new film about life, love and friendship, starring some of American indie’s finest actors; Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Keith Poulson and Jess Weixler. A quirky story chronicling  thirty-five years in the life of Max (Poulson) including a bizarre love triangle in which he and his best friend Sal (Offerman) fall for the same woman, the plot sounds like standard indie comedy fodder, and often independent films are guilty of thinking it’s necessary to reinvent the wheel to make a good film, usually leaving audience unsatisfied. Yet Somebody Up There Likes Me succeeds largely due to the charming performances of its excellent cast.

The brilliantly deadpan Nick Offerman, known best for American sitcom Parks and Recreation, is sublime in his supporting role, and newcomer Poulson proves a star on the rise as the exasperated Max whose life is marked by various strange and often embarrassing events that have the audience both sympathising and secretly remaining thankful it’s not happening to them. These performances are what drive the film and really bring it to life, but it’s also worth commenting that visually, it’s a pleasure to watch, a sea of warm hues and loud Hawaiian shirts.

Yet despite the presence of a great cast and some nice cinematography, the film suffers from a common problem amongst the genre; whilst during the film it is enjoyable enough to watch, it is ultimately forgettable, with nothing outstanding about it to make it truly memorable. A novel little indie film, Somebody Up There Likes Me is sweet and charming, but just fails to really make its mark. Whilst this isn’t a devastating flaw, it’s one worth noting. The real tragedy of this film is that there’s nothing much beneath the surface, but perhaps there’s better things from Bob Byington to come.

Hannah Woodhead