The Climb

Utterly original and utterly excellent, the modern bromance The Climb is a thrilling ride, an unconventional and idiosyncratic American film that acts like a old-school arty European one.

Covino’s film is an exhilarating anomaly, if not a wake-up call for the visual potential of heartfelt comedy.

This sharp two-hander veers from caustic to sweet with acrobatic filmmaking to spare.

The movie sometimes feels a little caught up in its own virtuosity. But the actors, Covino and Marvin — a sentient grenade and spineless but loving worm, respectively — keep it lively and make it meaningful. If the movie succeeds in surpassing the exercise it easily could have been, it’s because of them.

Covino’s brilliant comedy is original and smartly entertaining: a celebration of male friendship in all its ups and downs.

The Climb invites us along for the ride and keeps our interest, whether or not love or bromance, as they say, finds a way.

Rather than ascending to new heights of bromance, The Climb coasts down into the barren flatlands of masculine self-pity.

Friendship can be a beautiful thing. Sometimes it can be painfully exasperating. And some other times it can be both, as this offbeat indie comedy shows in its exploration of a seemingly mismatched duo of longtime pals. Admittedly, this quirky exercise can sometimes be a little too analytical for its own good, resulting in some uneven pacing and overly talky sequences. However, when its inventive humor works, it's truly inspired, unlike anything viewers have probably ever seen. I just wish there were more of it. When writers Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin come up with ways to make a cycling trip, a funeral and an ice fishing expedition funny, you know these guys are onto something. It would have been great if they could have sustained such inventive lunacy more consistently, but I'll gladly take what they have given us, given that their bits brought out bigger laughs from me than from virtually any other comedy I have seen in some time. This duo is off to a great start with their debut feature, and I look forward to whatever they come up with next.

The first scene features 2 best friends on an extended bike ride up a hill. Then the opening credits cite them as co-writers (and one as director). I was expecting a self-indulgent talkfest. It is, but it’s develops into more. Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino (also directed) play the duo, who go thru a number of episodes where their friendship is tested. Both of them and the rest of the cast inhabit their characters, perhaps because they’re playing versions of themselves. One unique aspect of the direction is the minutes-long continuous takes that are technically showy, but also impressive in their elaborate staging. There are also a few arty musical interludes that add nothing but time. Even though it’s billed as a comedy, there’s scant humor and some of the scenes seem forced. By the end, the twists over time turn into a quietly affecting indie bromance.

New York times review says it all. This is an empty movie pretending to try to portrait something about male friendship whilst having zero percent self awareness. Good camera work and pacing though ;)

It's a good movie. The script, director and actors are all perfect. Please watch this interesting movie. It is a work that you will never regret watching.

I watched this movie praying to the gods for climbing. Was there any? No. There wasn't a single second of someone moving upwards, much less on ice. I would rather watch an hour of Ice Climbers NES! The disappointment I felt when I realized it was a mental climb and not up a mountain or wall disappointed me greatly. There was no amount of plot that can save the betrayal I feel deep within me. 5 minutes in without climbing and I begun to hallucinate two parka clad children. I would never watch this again.