On the Count of Three

Last updated

On the Count of Three
On the Count of Three.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jerrod Carmichael
Written by
  • Ari Katcher
  • Ryan Welch
Produced by
  • David Carrico
  • Adam Paulsen
  • Jerrod Carmichael
  • Jimmy Price
  • Ari Katcher
  • Tom Werner
  • Jake Densen
Starring
CinematographyMarshall Adams
Edited by Tom Eagles
Music by Owen Pallett
Production
companies
Distributed by United Artists Releasing
(under Annapurna Pictures and Orion Pictures)
Release dates
  • January 29, 2021 (2021-01-29)(Sundance)
  • May 13, 2022 (2022-05-13)(United States)
Running time
86 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$62,155

On the Count of Three is an 2021 American black comedy-drama film directed by Jerrod Carmichael (in his feature directorial debut) and written by Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch. It stars Carmichael and Christopher Abbott as two best friends who make a suicide pact and have one final day to take care of unfinished business. Tiffany Haddish, J. B. Smoove, Lavell Crawford, and Henry Winkler also star.

Contents

On the Count of Three had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, and was released in select theaters and on-demand by Annapurna Pictures and Orion Pictures through United Artists Releasing on May 13, 2022. It received generally positive reviews.

Plot

Despite being offered a promotion, depressed mulch factory worker Val tries to commit suicide in a toilet stall at work, but stops when his annoying co-worker enters the restroom while singing "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" to himself. Val breaks up with his girlfriend Natasha and quits his job, then helps his best friend Kevin escape from the psychiatric hospital where he was placed after he had also tried to commit suicide three days earlier. Val tells Kevin that suicide is the answer, despite what people are taught, and the two agree to simultaneously shoot each other in the face. Kevin panics and smacks Val's hand away when Val pulls the trigger, then convinces Val that they should at least celebrate their last day of life. While the two eat at a diner and discuss what to do with their final day, Kevin's former school bully walks in with his wife and child and joyfully reminisces about severely injuring him.

Kevin's main goal is to kill Dr. Brenner, the child psychiatrist who molested him. However, when a receptionist tells Val and Kevin that Brenner does not arrive to work until late in the afternoon, they decide to return to his workplace later. Val learns that Natasha is pregnant, and tells Kevin that he had planned to marry her but backed out because he was scared. Val and Kevin ride dirt bikes at a motorcycle park owned by their friend Donny, but Val falls off his bike and cuts his leg open. Kevin aims his gun at a rude gas station attendant who makes him wait to buy medical supplies for Val, but he insists that he is using the gun to send a message rather than rob the station and pays for the supplies before leaving. Val visits his father Lyndell at his car workshop and tries to retrieve the money Lyndell had stolen from him when he was younger, causing a fistfight which ends when Kevin hits Lyndell with a tire iron and Val takes the money. Val goes to the jewelry store where he bought the ring for Natasha and returns it. He visits Natasha and tries to give her money to support her, but she criticizes him and encourages him to see a therapist. In the meantime, Kevin goes for a drive. He sees his former school bully and contemplates killing him, but changes his mind after watching him play with his daughter.

Late in the afternoon, Kevin goes through with his plan and visits Brenner. He forces Brenner to get on his knees and tries to shoot him, but forgets to take the safety off. Brenner hits Kevin and takes the gun away from him, then lectures him for forgetting about the safety. Val arrives and sees Brenner waving the gun at an injured Kevin; mistakenly thinking Brenner is about to shoot Kevin, he shoots Brenner in the head. In the car, Val tells Kevin that he does not want to die and that he would rather live so he can be there for his child. Attempting to escape a police chase, the two visit Donny and give him the keys to Val's car before riding away on dirt bikes while the police are distracted by Donny. Val and Kevin are spotted by police helicopters and decide to stop running away. Kevin tries to convince Val that suicide is still the answer to their problems, but Val does not change his mind about wanting to live. Kevin tells Val to blame Brenner's murder on him, then shoots himself in the head. A few years later, Val receives a Father's Day visit in prison from Natasha and their daughter.

Cast

Production

In June 2019, it was announced that Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott would star in the film and that Carmichael would make his directorial debut from a screenplay by Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch. [2] In November, it was announced that Tiffany Haddish, Henry Winkler, J. B. Smoove, and Lavell Crawford had joined the cast. David Carrico and Adam Paulsen agreed to produce under their Valparaiso Pictures banner, alongside Tom Werner serving as a producer under his Werner Entertainment banner. Principal photography commencing that same month. [3]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where Katcher and Welch were awarded the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. [4] Shortly after, Annapurna Pictures and MGM's Orion Pictures acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, which was released through their joint venture United Artists Releasing. [5] The film's first trailer was released on April 27, 2022, beginning with a slate promoting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. [6] It received a limited theatrical release and a digital release on May 13, 2022. It was also released on the streaming service Hulu and labeled as part of their "Hulu Originals" on August 17. [7]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, the film earned $36,822 from 19 theaters in its opening weekend. [8] It ultimately grossed between $62,131 and $62,155 at the worldwide box office. [9] [10]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 85% based on 114 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "It's occasionally uneven, but On the Count of Three finds director/star Jerrod Carmichael attempting an ambitious blend of drama and dark comedy—and often succeeding." [1] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [11]

David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film an A− and wrote, "Like a game of Russian roulette, this is a movie that would have seemed embarrassingly stupid if things had gone wrong. It's a dangerous and somehow enjoyable movie that dances around the edge of an open wound from start to finish as it risks making light of the heaviest things that so many of its viewers will ever have to carry. But it's exhilarating—a little at first, and then a hell of a lot—to see these characters find the kind of happiness worth dying for." [12] Benjamin Lee of The Guardian gave the film 3/5 stars and said, "While it's ultimately a little too messy to work quite as well as it could have, given the interesting and ambitious ingredients, On the Count of Three is proof that Carmichael is a director to be excited about, hoping that perhaps he finds time to write his next script himself." [13]

Accolades

YearAwardCategorySubjectResult
2021 Sundance Film Festival [14] Grand Jury Prize - US Dramatic Jerrod Carmichael Nominated
Waldo Salt Screenwriting AwardAri Katcher
Ryan Welch		Won
IndieWire Critics Poll [15] Best Films Opening in 2022On the Count of ThreeNominated

Related Research Articles

Orion Releasing, LLC is an American film production and distribution company co-owned by Amazon through Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, the company produced and released films from 1978 until 1999 and was also involved in television production and syndication throughout the 1980s until the early 1990s. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former senior executives at United Artists. From its founding until its buyout by MGM in the late 1990s, Orion was considered one of the largest mini-major studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lavell Crawford</span> American comedian and actor

Lavell Maurice Crawford is an American comedian and actor, known for playing Huell Babineaux in Breaking Bad (2011–2013) and its spin-off Better Call Saul (2017–2022). He also played the role of Gus Patch in the Netflix original film The Ridiculous 6 (2015). The album version of his 2021 Comedy Vaccine special was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany Haddish</span> American comedian and actress (born 1979)

Tiffany Cornilia Haddish is an American stand-up comedian and actress. Her breakthrough came in with a leading role in the comedy film Girls Trip (2017), which earned her several accolades and was included on The New Yorker's list of the best film performances of the 21st century. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2018, and The Hollywood Reporter listed her among the 100 most powerful people in entertainment in both 2018 and 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamorne Morris</span> American actor (born 1983)

Lamorne Morris is an American actor and comedian. He has played the roles of Daniel in Call Me Kat, Winston Bishop in the Fox sitcom New Girl (2011–2018), Darrin Morris in the National Geographic docudrama Valley of the Boom (2019), about the 90s tech boom, and cartoonist Keef Knight in the Hulu comedy Woke (2020–2022). He has also had supporting roles in the films Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016), Game Night (2018),Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), and Yesterday (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annapurna Pictures</span> American independent media company

Annapurna Pictures is an American independent media company founded by Megan Ellison on April 2, 2011 and based in Los Angeles, California. It is active in film, television and theatrical production, film distribution, and video game publishing.

SModcast Pictures is an American film distribution company and a film and television production company founded by Kevin Smith in 2011. Kevin Smith announced at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival that he would release his latest movie Red State himself under his own distribution company SModcast Pictures by touring the film instead of having a traditional release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Simien</span> American filmmaker, actor, and author (born 1983)

Justin Simien is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His first feature film, Dear White People, won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. It was later adapted into the Netflix series of the same name (2017–2021). Simien has also been named to Variety's 2013 "10 Directors to Watch" list.

<i>The Carmichael Show</i> American sitcom television series

The Carmichael Show is an American sitcom television series created by Nicholas Stoller, Jerrod Carmichael, Ari Katcher, and Willie Hunter that aired on NBC from August 26, 2015 until August 9, 2017. Starring Carmichael, it follows a fictional version of his family. The multi-camera show is set in Charlotte, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerrod Carmichael</span> American comedian, actor, and writer (born 1987)

Rothaniel Jerrod Carmichael is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and filmmaker. He has released three stand-up comedy specials on HBO: Love at the Store (2014), 8 (2017), and Rothaniel (2022). He also co-created, co-wrote, produced, and starred in the semi autobiographical NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show (2015–2017). Carmichael directed, produced, and starred in On the Count of Three (2021). In 2022, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for writing Rothaniel and was nominated for guest hosting Saturday Night Live that same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Rel Howery</span> American comedian and actor (born 1979)

MiltonHowery Jr., better known as Lil Rel Howery, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Howery is known for playing Robert Carmichael in NBC's television comedy series The Carmichael Show (2015–2017) and Rod Williams in the horror film Get Out (2017). He starred in the short-lived TV series Rel (2018–2019), which he created and co-produced.

Eli Bush is an American film and theatre producer and former executive at Scott Rudin Productions. He is best known for producing the film Lady Bird, for which he co-won the 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy and was co-nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. He is married to Marie Louise Khondji daughter of Darius Khondji since October 2022.

<i>Wounds</i> (film) 2019 film directed by Babak Anvari

Wounds is a 2019 psychological horror film written and directed by Babak Anvari, in his English language debut, and starring Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson, and Zazie Beetz. The film is based on the novella The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud.

<i>Ramy</i> (TV series) American comedy-drama TV series

Ramy is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on April 19, 2019, on Hulu. In May 2019, Hulu renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on May 29, 2020. The series stars Ramy Youssef as the titular character. In July 2020, Hulu renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on September 30, 2022.

<i>Little Monsters</i> (2019 film) 2019 comedy film by Abe Forsythe

Little Monsters is a 2019 comedy horror film written and directed by Abe Forsythe, starring Lupita Nyong'o, Alexander England, Josh Gad, and Kat Stewart. The story centres on a washed-up musician, a children's television personality, and a kindergarten teacher teaming up to protect a group of young schoolchildren during a sudden zombie outbreak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Artists Releasing</span> Film distribution successor to United Artists

United Artists Releasing, LLC (UAR) was an American film distribution joint venture between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Annapurna Pictures and the successor to United Artists (UA) which operated from October 31, 2017 to March 3, 2023.

<i>Palm Springs</i> (2020 film) Film by Max Barbakow

Palm Springs is a 2020 American science fiction romantic comedy film directed by Max Barbakow from a screenplay by Andy Siara, based on a story of their own. Starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and J. K. Simmons, it focuses on two strangers who meet at a wedding in Palm Springs only to find themselves stuck in a time loop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Sundance Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 2021 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 28 to February 3, 2021. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 15, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Utah, the festival combined in-person screenings at the Ray Theatre in Park City, with screenings held online as well as on screens and drive-ins in 24 states and territories across the United States.

<i>Fresh</i> (2022 film) 2022 film by Mimi Cave

Fresh is a 2022 American horror thriller film directed by Mimi Cave, in her directorial debut, from a screenplay by Lauryn Kahn. The film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan. It is a co-production between Legendary Pictures and Hyperobject Industries; Adam McKay produced the film alongside Kevin J. Messick. The film follows Noa, who meets the alluring Steve at a grocery store and – given her frustration with dating apps – takes a chance and gives him her number. After their first date, Noa is smitten and accepts Steve's invitation to a romantic weekend getaway, only to find that her new paramour has been hiding some unusual appetites.

Nightbitch is an upcoming American comedy horror film written and directed by Marielle Heller and starring Amy Adams. The film is based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Rachel Yoder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Onyx Collective</span> American content brand

Onyx Collective is a content brand owned and operated by Disney Entertainment, which primarily consists of projects from creators of color and other underrepresented groups. The brand was first launched on May 17, 2021, with several projects under development for Hulu and Disney+.

References

  1. 1 2 "On the Count of Three (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  2. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (June 3, 2019). "Exclusive: Quentin Tarantino Working with Jerrod Carmichael on 'Django/Zorro' Movie". Collider . Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  3. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (November 18, 2019). "Jerrod Carmichael, Christopher Abbott Lead Ensemble Cast In 'On The Count Of Three' For Valparaiso & Tom Werner's Werner Entertainment". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  4. ↑ Debruge, Peter (December 15, 2020). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Features 38 First-Time Directors, Including Rebecca Hall and Robin Wright". Variety . Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  5. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (February 12, 2021). "Annapurna Pictures Lands Jerrod Carmichael's Sundance Prize Winner 'On The Count Of Three;' Near $2M For NA Rights". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  6. ↑ "'On the Count of Three' Trailer: Jerrod Carmichael Makes Directorial Debut on Dark Suicide Comedy". April 27, 2022.
  7. ↑ Hulu (August 15, 2022). "On The Count of Three Official Trailer Hulu". YouTube . Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 19". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  9. ↑ "On the Count of Three". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  10. ↑ "On the Count of Three". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  11. ↑ "On the Count of Three Reviews". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  12. ↑ Ehrlich, David (January 30, 2021). "'On the Count of Three' Review: A Suicide Pact Turns Into Killer Buddy Comedy in Jerrod Carmichael's Debut". IndieWire . Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  13. ↑ Lee, Benjamin (January 30, 2021). "On the Count of Three review – hit-and-miss suicide bromance comedy". The Guardian . Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  14. ↑ "2021 Sundance Film Festival Awards Announced". www.sundance.org. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  15. ↑ "2021 Critics Poll: The Best Films and Performances, According to 187 Critics from Around the World". IndieWire. December 13, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.