On the writing-directing side of things, Jeff Garlin’s work has always been far less memorable than the rest of his output. His feature debut, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, was just about as benignly, forgettably enjoyable as lazily eating a spreadable cheese with someone; his follow up, Dealin’ with Idiots, was about the same sensation, but with a sharper though packaged cheese. Despite that, both films have felt somehow deeply well-intentioned and never outright bad. So here’s hoping he has greater success with this out-of-nowhere Netflix film, Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie.
Described as “a lo-fi, Columbo-style mystery comedy,” the film sees Garlin as a schlubby detective trying to sort out a case alongside his own personal life. Natasha Lyonne and the far-too-rarely-seen Amy Sedaris co-star. Hopefully it will at least come to close to being as pleasantly enjoyable as Columbo remains. If nothing else, at least the Netflix venue should suit Garlin’s “best served with crackers and curled up on the couch” style. Handsome premieres May 5.
