Charlie Day Gives A Career-Best Performance In Surprisingly Raw Murder Mystery Thriller

For the past 20 years, Charlie Day has best been known for his wackier antics, whether it’s with The Gang in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, plotting triple homicides in the Horrible Bosses franchise, or exploring different worlds as Luigi in the recent Super Mario movies. However, he has gotten very few chances to show off his true range of acting skills, with the occasional Charlie-centric Always Sunny episodes giving him layers deeper than the general chaos of the show.

Now, he’s finally getting that chance to break out into more serious territory with Kill Me, which made its debut at this year’s SXSW. Tackling a character ever in a losing battle with his mental health, while also being presented with one of the most curious situations in his life, Day shines, giving one of his best performances yet in a film that is just as emotionally raw as it is funny.

Written and directed by Peter Warren, Day leads the Kill Me cast as Jimmy, a ne’er-do-well currently on a downward spiral. He’s so far failed to land a stable job, and he’s fresh off his girlfriend moving out of his apartment. He’s also widely looked down upon by his family, particularly due to his struggles with depression and a previous suicide attempt.

Everything changes for Jimmy when, one day, he wakes up in his bathtub with his wrists slit and no memory of the previous night. He narrowly calls 911 in time, which connects him with Margot (Allison Williams). Though most are reluctant to believe his assertions that his new injuries are not another attempt at self-harm, Margot finds herself inadvertently going down the rabbit hole with him to figure out the truth, unveiling a web of secrets for them both.

While its mystery thriller aesthetic may seem like an unusual place for it, Warren infuses Kill Me with a surprisingly sobering portrayal of depression and self-harm. It’s a topic all too easy to mishandle by focusing on the wrong elements, or by failing to recognize the dangers of writing in such a simplified way that it takes out the humanity from those in need.

But Warren brings a very deft hand to the topic. Every time Jimmy is forced to reflect on his past and his ever-changing mental state, the script balances some very candid messages about growth with pathos for his challenges to maintain a healthy mind. One character’s history with self-harm is, admittedly, a little underdeveloped, and feels like it only exists to create a parallel between them and Jimmy, but thankfully doesn’t detract too extensively.

Just as impressive as the heartbreaking authenticity of the film’s mental health commentary is that Warren also lets the audience laugh through Jimmy’s journey. Between deadpan quips about his depression and misunderstandings that further escalate his more manic sensibilities, the script doesn’t make everything so dreary that viewers can’t have fun with the proceedings.

Day’s commanding performance as Jimmy is Kill Me‘s other greatest asset. For a good portion of the film, he taps into the comedic skills he’s famous for, at times playing Jimmy like a more grounded take on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s iconic Pepe Silvia scene. But when the film turns to Jimmy confronting his demons, Day really shines. He feels so incredibly present as he unpacks every layer of the character’s depression, in a way he’s rarely shown before. There’s one scene near the film’s final act in which, upon learning a secret his family kept from him out of fear of his reaction, the gradual emotional breakdown on display feels nothing short of real.

If there’s one thing that does feel a little too undercooked, it’s the mystery of Jimmy’s situation. Warren’s goal with the movie is clearly more about exploring its themes than investing in the whodunnit of it all. But with how much effort is spent in the first half to convince both Margot and the audience that someone tried to murder him, it’s kind of surprising that Kill Me not only doesn’t serve up any kind of meaningful answer, but also practically puts it on the backburner for some of the second half.

In addition to a career-best turn from Day, as well as moving supporting performances from M3GAN alum Allison Williams and The Boys vet Aya Cash, and a mostly well-rounded script, Kill Me is also elevated by a very stylish directorial eye. Warren, making his feature debut, teams with Oh, Hi!‘s Conor Murphy to give the film a visual palette rich with influence from the wider mystery and noir genres, while also making the more emotional moments feel intimate.

It is, admittedly, somewhat a shame how close Kill Me is to being perfection, as the movie’s sudden end is a pretty great joke in and of itself, even if it leaves too many unanswered questions. But, all the same, the film is still a wildly funny and insightful ride, and Warren has immediately established himself as a genre-bender to watch. ​​