Nah, I think I’m probably kidding. If you’re a husband and you see Anthony Marinelli’s hilarious new short, Why I Had to Kill You While You Slept, before you go to sleep, and you’re a married man, you may not be able to fall asleep. Ok, I’m probably kidding about that, too. But you likely will feel a little guilty. And you’ll certainly be laughing. And note that I’m not saying I’m kidding about that and that.
This 15-minute comedy and tutorial about what not to do if you’re a husband provides a vivid little catalogue of what wives get upset about at around bedtime — snoring, not cutting your toenails so you accidentally gash your wife’s thigh, going to sleep after you’re satisfied but she’s not, and you’re… well, doing something that requires a powerful air-freshener. And then there’s what men shouldn’t do before they leave the bathroom — leaving the seat up and not flushing.
Now, just to be clear, I’ve been married to the same woman for almost fifty years, and I’ve done none of that — I’m innocent, your Honor, innocent! Ok, maybe I snore a litte, according to my wife.
But forget about me, and back to the movie. Marinelli wrote (with Bradley Griffiths and Lisa Riva) and directed, and the dialogue is hilarious. So is the rendition. Amanda Greer is perfect as Donna the long-suffering wife, as she’s been in everything I’ve seen her do on stage and screen. So is Denise Reed as Lisa, Donna’s friend, who manages to be both rational and receptive as Donna spills out her story. And Joseph Casesse was fine as Matt, the horrible husband, as was Jackie Kuczinski as his sexy sister, and Peter Argento as her boyfriend.
The movie was shown yesterday at the Chelsea Film Festival in Manhattan. It’s 15 minutes you’ll no doubt enjoy, unless you’re like Matt, in which case you should see the movie and maybe learn a thing or two. (God knows, we all also can use a laughter in these depraved times.)