I thought I might know what to expect as comedian Chelsea Peretti’s feature debut, aptly titled First Time Female Director, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on Monday. Finally, I had heard the parodic play she performed in 2017—a rural Southern drama called “Rain’s Comin’ In,” a twist on Tennessee Williams’ melodramatic style—which was adapted for the film.
It seemed like most festival-goers thought they were in control of what they were about to see, as evidenced by the overheard conversations conducted before the film began. Some were there as fans of Peretti’s work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, others were fans of her stand-up performance, and some were just there to see what kind of uproar a star-studded cast of comedians could create together.
All of us, myself included, were completely unprepared for a comedy as uncompromisingly manic and utterly original as First Time Female Director.
The film is a true gonzo madness that barely lasts long enough for audiences to catch their breath before the comedic pinball Peretti’s script is craving to get going again. The film is so packed with jokes, recurring passages and softly spoken one-liners that you feel more like a feathered snake trapped in a can, waiting for someone to open it and unleash its bevy of gags. But that feverish energy is exactly the point. “First Time Female Director” recreates the frantic state of an artist. There are no reflective moments of self-reflection or level-headed lessons for the audience to take away. Peretti’s astute script and direction smash industry narcissism until only whiplash and a laughing stomach remain.
In addition to writing and directing the film, Peretti stars in First Time Female Director as Sam, a playwright at Regis, a small community theater in Glendale, California. One day, she is asked by Regis manager Sheldon (Andy Richter) to perform one of her own plays (the aforementioned “Rain’s Comin’ In”) after the company’s longtime director is fired for inappropriate behavior. Double her usual salary is enough for Sam to agree, but the cast of sluggish, selfish actors who regularly star in the Regis’ plays aren’t at all happy about Sam getting the chance to direct.
There’s influencer Davina (Meg Stalter); uptight, bossy gay Rudie (Benito Skinner); The Regis’ veteran leading lady, Marjorie (Megan Mullally); an easy-going but insecure colleague, Simon (Jak Knight); the no-nonsense method actress Clara (Kate Berlant); and the cocky Adonis Gordon (Blake Anderson). Each has their own unique quirks that almost collide as soon as Sam enters the room. You can smell Sam’s enthusiasm emanating from their Pharrell-sized fedoras.
Every member of this filled-to-the-maximum cast gets their moment in the sun, but not without competing for it. Berlant, Mullally, Stalter, and Skinner are all in constant squabbles, stealing scenes from each other whenever someone loosens their grip. Stalter’s self-assured Instagram sleuth is particularly scathing when it comes to her ad-supported headbands and underwear that she plans to auction off to her followers. Whether improvised or not, Stalter’s lines are delivered with wonderful serenity. When Davina tries to escape a cast rehearsal by pleading, “I need to get some Jamocha shakes for me and my mom,” you can almost feel her desire recognized by the poor person taking her order at the drive-through to become a Glendale Arby’s window.
Peretti’s script is generous to all of the cast, but none is as wonderfully swanky as Peretti herself, who has some impressive skills at body comedy. Sam is one of the few characters in First Time Female Director who rewards poignancy (if you can call anything truly poignant here), and Peretti sells Sam’s desire to fit into an archaic form of playwright without the humor on the side to let track. She also calls out some friends for exciting guest appearances, including a certain Nope director, who she is married to, who acts as a local art expert and delivers a murderous read on Brad Pitt’s pretentious speaking style.
With craziness constantly present in the picture, it’s easier to spot when The First Time Female Director is over-reliing on her cameo appearances and recurring scenes. Some of these repeated stylistic choices – like a slow-motion cut that’s hilarious the first time it’s done and puzzling afterwards – eventually wear out. They almost feel too obvious, like little jokes for the cheap seats, out of place in a film that’s deceptively clever for its direct comedy.
But its repetition also seems calculated and reminiscent of other uncompromisingly eccentric films such as Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Smiley Face or Napoleon Dynamite. And like these comedies, there will be those who just don’t get it. But it’s hard to deny the film’s boldness, which is undeniable even in the film’s opening act.
A first-time director herself, Peretti has the confidence of someone who has long aspired to do so. The editing is fluid and fun to watch, and the film’s kinetic cinematography leaves the viewer wanting more, even if the narrative falters at times. First Time Female Director sort of looks and feels exactly like a 2000s ABC network comedy, mockumentary, and extended opening sketch of the MTV Movie Awards rolled into one. Even if the humor doesn’t resonate with some viewers, it’s a no-brainer to watch.
All of the characters’ banter and endless banter is flying at such breakneck speeds that it’s almost impossible to keep up. Due to its rollercoaster pace, the film sometimes seems as if it has little connection to reality. But I bet that’s Peretti’s point of view. First Time Female Director explores the inherent absurdity of the arts and how crazy anyone who engages in it can be. It’s a merciless profession, boisterous and murderous. But you know what they say: if you can make it in Glendale, you can make it anywhere.
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