I Don't Understand You

In trying to be both subversive and sincere, “I Don’t Understand You” ends up not quite pulling off either.

Outrageously snappy and unapologetically fun, I Don’t Understand You is a must-see for anyone who likes queer romance, horror-comedy, and/or hot Italians.

Emotional honesty sometimes salvages this tonal misfire but can’t quite pull together a movie that is constantly coming apart with bad screenwriting choices and direction that never figures out how to tell this quirky story.

Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells make such an effortlessly funny and convincing couple that they smooth over the rough transitional patches.

Tonally, “I Don’t Understand You” has the twisted, expect-the-worst vibe of classic Danny DeVito movies (“Ruthless People” and “The War of the Roses” come to mind).

The title gives away the main joke, and Craig and Crano drive it so firmly into the ground that it pays fewer dividends over time.

I Don’t Understand You is a film that works as being defiantly hilarious by treating nearly every single situation with the same level of exasperation. That includes getting bad directions, being stuck in the rain, and accidental manslaughter.

If a movie arrives bearing a title as bland and uninspired as “I Don’t Understand You,” it’s a good bet that the underlying product is going to be shoddy. In this case, it’s an utter disaster. In any language! Capisce? 


Mean spirited, but often very funny, I Don’t Understand You has some tonal problems but its winning mix of deadpan humor with buckets of blood trumps whatever wonky feeling is left behind by the script.

The way it underlines a charming premise with fiendish gags is precisely what makes the film special.