Wes Schlagenhauf Is Dying Review: Underwhelming Comedy Lacks Heart [Tribeca]
Two years into the pandemic, COVID-19 movies are now a dime a dozen. While Wes Schlagenhauf is Dying aims to take a comedic approach to the whole thing, the humor doesn’t always land and the film falls flat in its overall execution. The film, directed by Parker Seaman from a screenplay by him and Devin Das, is lighthearted and never takes itself too seriously — even in the most mean-spirited of situations — but it lacks any heart. While there are certainly moments that work and the cast has a lot of chemistry together, Wes Schlagenhauf is Dying never reaches its story or comedic potential.
Seaman and Das play fictionalized versions of themselves in this road trip comedy. The pair — who moved to Hollywood with their friend, the titular Wes Schlagenhauf (also playing a fictional version of himself), years before the start of the film — are well-known commercial directors. Their latest, a funny commercial spoofing a shoe company capitalizing on the pandemic, has exhausted them and they want to try something different. After Wes, who left Los Angeles behind a couple of years prior, calls them and says he’s contracted COVID-19, Parker and Devin decide to go see him. However, it’s not a simple social call as the duo proceeds to begin filming a documentary-style movie on their way to Wes’ house, much to their agent’s (D’Arcy Carden) chagrin. What they soon discover is there are a lot of unshared emotions and secrets the trio needs to contend with if they are to remain friends and realize their dreams.
Related: Next Exit: Solid, Effective Performances Save An Underbaked Story [Tribeca]
The story includes a variety of interesting elements, but they never fully come together. The banter between Seaman and Das can be funny on
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