On the Count of Three (2022)

It felt like a while since I’d seen the Orion distributing symbol come up prior to a film for a while, either that or I simply haven’t been paying attention. The film they’ve put their name to here is a ninety-minute black comedy directed by Jerrod Carmichael, his debut feature. He also stars, as Val, alongside Christopher Abbott (as Kevin) playing two friends who engage in a suicide pact at the beginning of the film. Val attempts suicide at work, only to be distracted by an irritating coworker, and we learn that his friend Kevin has recently had a suicide attempt thwarted at the psychiatric hospital where he currently resides. After Val helps Kevin escape from the hospital, he persuades his friend that suicide is the answer for both of them, and they should shoot each other. Following a failed attempt to do so, they decide to spend one last day taking care of whatever business they feel they have left, before swearing to complete the pact that evening. What plays out is nowhere near as depressing or stupid as you might think; the film is clever and bold, as well as being heartfelt and brutally honest at times. The two central performers bounce off each other very well, and you believe in their friendship completely. On The Count Of The Three may end up being a fairly incidental film, but there are shades of Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers (2012) in its blackly comedic tone, and as a first time director, Carmichael shows a huge amount of promise. 7.1/10