Let's be honest; this movie is awful. I live in New York and have seen the Upright Citizen's Brigade in action. No question, the gang and all their sidekicks in attendance here, are very, very funny people. But this movie is a mess.The first 45 minutes: bad. A short list. 1. Fully formed performances: "I'm sad," "I'm crazy," "Hey! I was in the Nam and I sh1t in sinks; I'm crazier!" 2. Original nonsense: "I'm lighting my desk on fire. (This makes me crrrazy.)," "Whoa! I'm a crazy driver. (Did I mention I'm crrrazy?)" "Hey, tackling people is funny. Let's do some tacklin'." (To be fair, the "tacklin'" was the one time I laughed out loud.) 3. "Wow-how'd-they-do-that?" sets: "Hey man, my Dad's unfinished basement can double as a strip joint." "Book it." 4. Excellent character-revealing dialogue: "Me speak-ee with bad accent and squint a rot! Because me Chinese! Also, I crazy."But I pressed on, hoping for that ironic "it's supposed to be bad, yo" attitude of, say, Wet, Hot American Summer. But no.The second 45 minutes: badder than the first. And not Michael Jackson, dancing in the subway bad. Just bad. Bad. Really. Really. Bad. "Hey, you're cured and I'm getting married. Let's hear it for the healing power of unfocused wackiness!"

Martin & Orloff is a movie about the relationship between a suicide attemptee and his psychiatrist who has as many issues as his patient. The movie made me laugh several times but, like cotton candy, it had no substance to it. It started fading from my mind as soon as I left the theater. Enjoyable but forgetable. I can see myself in a couple of years, if this movie ever makes it to tv, saying "I might have seen that. I'm not sure."

I'll be honest: I had high hopes but low expectations for this film. As guilty as that makes me feel, it's true. The movie, however, was better than even my expectations. It's not for everyone, but that's the beauty of independent film. It allows for off-beat, darkly comic writing and the casting of actors like the superb-as-always, H. Jon Benjamin. It would probably be enjoyed most by those who are already fans of the "Upright Citizens Brigade" (all of whom appear, in addition to writer-stars Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh), but I would still recommend it to non-fans, if only for the unique and memorable cinematic experience it will provide them. (Even my mother, who doesn't "understand" most of my comedies I show her, enjoyed herself.) I make no guarantees, but it definitely deserves a shot.

This film was shocking right from the opening sequence, and it's refreshing to see that New York's premiere comedy group hasn't lost anything in the translation from the stage to the screen. The writing is razor-sharp and undeniably witty. The performances are a scream, especially the mellow Walsh as the crazed shrink. Roberts is fabulous as the bewildered Martin, and the supporting cast is equally strong, especially when they are joined by the occasional celebrity in a cameo. This is a fast, funny and thoroughly enjoyable film.