The Baltimorons

by Mike McGranaghan

The Baltimorons is the best pure romantic comedy I’ve seen in years. Directed by Jay Duplass, the movie utilizes some of the genre’s most familiar tropes, from the quirky first meeting between the central characters to the “Will they or won’t they end up together?” finale. The key is in how it approaches those tropes from a fresh angle, then builds an entirely unique romance around them. By the end, you understand exactly what draws these two vastly different people together.

As the title suggests, the story is set in Baltimore, Maryland. Cliff (Michael Strassner, who co-wrote the screenplay with Duplass) is a failed improv comedian trying to stay sober and avoid another significant depressive episode. Didi (Liz Larsen) is a dentist who went through a bitter divorce thanks in part to her workaholic nature. Following a dental emergency, Cliff ends up in Didi’s office on Christmas Eve, when he’s supposed to be with fiancée Brittany (Olivia Luccardi) and her family. His car is towed while he’s inside, so Didi reluctantly offers to give him a ride to the impound. Thus begins a series of weird little adventures that find them forging an unexpected bond.

What The Baltimorons does effectively is to continually introduce new layers to the characters. Cliff initially seems like a dimwit, Didi a bitch. The more time we spend with them, the more we realize those initial impressions are just facades. Cliff has a great deal of depth to him, thanks to various life hurdles he’s faced. Didi is in a similar boat, with details of her past marriage helping to explain the uptight outward appearance. The joy of the movie is watching how they gradually reveal their true selves. He needs someone to take him seriously, whereas she needs someone to teach her how not to take herself so seriously.

It's a quirky story point that Didi is significantly older than Cliff. This, combined with the fact that Cliff is engaged to someone else, adds a hint of uncertainty into the plot. Rom-coms often rely on contrived obstacles to make viewers wonder if the relationship will work out. By grounding its obstacles in reality, the suspense becomes more genuine. Cliff and Didi visibly fall for each other, but can they actually take that to the next level? Will he really leave Brittany for her? Will she risk another broken heart by dating this troubled guy?

Strassner and Larsen are pure magic together. The chemistry they generate is warm-hearted and appealing. Together, they make this romance credible. Smart dialogue enables the actors to earn big laughs and elicit strong emotions in a way you don’t get with most major studio romantic comedies, which tend to be more about the plot machinations than the human beings.

Having spent a fair amount of time in Baltimore in my younger days, it was also fun to see various locations around the city utilized. The charm of “Charm City” is fully on display, particularly in outdoor scenes lit by Christmas lights. Setting a rom-com outside of the usual New York or Los Angeles brings a distinct energy that aids in Cliff and Didi seeming like people you might really know, as opposed to a screenwriter’s invention. It’s another example of why The Baltimorons is a film to cherish.

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