I don't get why the cast and crew made or released this film, it was terrible. Nothing happened nor pretended to happen, it was just dull. Do yourself a favour and watch something else, like paint drying, it'll be more exciting and at least you'll know nothing will happen. The main character was supposed to be boring and that was achieved but why would you film a movie where the main character is supposed to be boring and more than lives up to expectation. You could equate the main character as a Mister Bean type but without the humour. This film gets put in the same pile as Being John Malcovich and Abducted as films I didn't finish because they were so poor. Do yourself a favour and watch something else.

The movie has a beginning, a middle and an end...but not in that order. The filmmaker does not reveal much about the accident that starts the hero's journey until the end. It is necessary to make it through the whole picture to understand what he did that made him such a basket case, and, halfheartedly, looking to end his life. He tries to shoot himself in the bath tub and he tries to hang himself, but is interrupted by a taxi driver, who, for her own reasons, has taken an interest in him. Naturally, when she knocks, he answers with the noose still around his neck. The story, of the last few years, is replayed in his head. From his failure in love to his failure in the accident he confronts the question of his own manhood and humanity. A minor subplot of sibling competition is explored and left unsatisfied, of parental differences also unsatisfied in a script by writer/director Emmanuel Shirinian in his first full-length film. I think he was not ready to take on this challenge...but in the future, who knows ?That reads pretty good on paper and there is really no technical problems with the film or its cutting. It just did not do it for me. I liked the questions asked, but it did not sell me on the character of the hero/Abner (Michael D. Cohen). I found myself not caring about his story, in fact, he annoyed me. This is no reflection on Mr. Cohen as an actor. The character is just not likable. Outside of Mr. Cohen and a landlady/Ethel (Phyllis Ellis) who throws herself at Abner in a last ditch effort to get some comfort out of life that is not found at the bottom of a bottle, none of the other performances are note worthy.It is advertised as a dark comedy, but although the subject matter is dark, the film is not dark and rarely funny. I will give it four stars two for Michael D. Cohen, and two for Phyllis Ellis.

I can't figure out who Charlie is. If you know tell me, I missed it. But this film is so good it makes mockery of many films that try for "dark comedy", or just comedy or dark. It's funny in layers that slowly diminish as the story resolves to Abner's redemption. It also shows up the vacuous indie movies with the BIG STAR on board that only mollifies the BIG STARS ego and is mostly a waste of time to the viewer. Recently viewed: Frank, funny, not a total loss but mostly as empty as Michael Fassbenders big head- Under The Skin with Scarlet Johansson, she takes all her clothes off in a dark twisted sci-fi but thats the most you'll get out of it. And MacFarlanes WESTERN that will give you a few yucks in the first 15 minutes but by it's end will have you questioning your own intelligence. I understand why these actors do these kinds of movies but for a real story dark- twisted-funny you will have to leave these pathetic A listers behind. Even The Grand Budapest Hotel, which is top notch without a doubt, is just a scenic trope compared to this film by Emmanuel Shirinian. Every performer in It Was You Charlie turns in an indelible performance. Michael Cohen is incandescent as the sad diminished Abner. It's movie full of characters and thoughts that slowly explode in front of you. And it is in the end, spoiler, a warm and well told story. Watch it, you'll be surprised yet again at the genius of film makers that know how to turn off the phony and and turn up charm. Oh yeah, as the film ended, as they do, both my old hairy legs started to tingle, registering an emotional state that I can only describe as "artistic satiation".