BO BURNHAM: INSIDE Review

Let me just preface this review by saying that BO BURNHAM: INSIDE will be the first time I’ve ever watched a “comedy special”. There’s a lot of reasons for that, the main one being that, for whatever strange reason, I haven’t really found myself fiending to watch a person stand on stage and tell jokes. I guess I’d rather hear that in the car or while I’m cleaning the house. Whatever the case, the few glimpses of recorded comedy specials that I’ve come across in my time usually follow the same visual palette: comedian on stage, with a spotlight on them, audience reaction shots here and there and presto! You got yourself a comedy special. Of course, the main point of a comedy special is that it’s a special about comedy so I’m sure that’s the main draw to people watching these things: to see comedians do what they do best and tell some funny jokes. To his credit, I’ve always heard good things about Bo Burnham’s stand up/specials as he allegedly was keen to add a bit more flair and unique character to each one. While he knocked it out of the park with his directorial debut in EIGHTH GRADE, I was a little hesitant to check this out (despite the waves of applause online and off) as Burnham’s comedic styling seemed a little too much for me.

INSIDE proves that latter concern more or less correct but not before it offers what I imagine is one of the more elaborately constructed comedy specials of all time. Maybe…I don’t know. Shot, performed, and edited by Mr. Burnham himself in the tight compartments of his home (or more accurately, a guest home of sorts) during 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was raging on outside, INSIDE is a one man show that by all appearances shows one comedian’s dark descent into isolation and intrusive thoughts, backed of course by off-kilter songs and skits that Mr. Burnham has become renowned for. Essentially, INSIDE is a feature length video blog of a man fighting his demons with half-hearted jokes; a comedy special this may not be after all…

With only his increasingly scraggly beard and messy unkempt hair acting as time stamps throughout his time “locked” up in his equally unkempt guest house, INSIDE consistently straddles the line between comedy and tragedy. Burnham, by all means a seemingly cheerful man, lets loose here and displays all his inner troubles and hang-ups in ways only a comedian and performer can: through elaborate songs and skits that take aim at everything from the sub-culture of “Instagram White Women”, Twitch streamers, and the faceless, evil corporations pulling the strings behind our world consumed by technology and hollow social media appearances. Impressively composing some genuinely catchy songs that almost all border on the genre of “YouTube Pop” in addition to some genuinely searing observations on the world around him, Mr. Burnham proves that he is, if nothing else, a man who objectively has a ton of talent. While a good chunk of his songs never really stop sounding the same, the lyrics themselves hold some memorable moments, both comedically and dramatically. Sure, some songs tell us things we already know (corporations bad, social media can be toxic, online dating is weird,etc.), but Burnham approaches each new jingle with a noticeable flair and artistry that’s hard to deny. In songs like the increasingly foreboding yet always comedically tinged “Welcome To The Internet”, Mr. Burnham and his tunes highlights his and this special’s knack for navigating contrasting moods and tones.

Outside of the music, INSIDE mainly works due to the dramatic tight-rope act operating throughout as we see Burnham face himself in ways he probably doesn’t want to. In scenes that reveal moments of inner frustration and isolation, INSIDE becomes a darker look into the life of someone banked on for comedy (a topic effectively addressed in the film’s beginning and closing songs) now finding it hard to offer laughs for the world, much less himself, in a time period overwhelmed by bad news and an uncertain future. Supporting this dramatic tinge is Burnham’s handling of the special’s visuals which continue to hint at the burgeoning filmmaking skills of its creator. Working within a tight space and about one or two plain rooms give or take, Burnham utilizes intricate lighting and editing to create a light show that supports each and every song and sketch with the right amount of flair; while some songs may have the performer shining in a simple spotlight, others musical moments have the performer carrying out a Rube Goldberg-like performance matching flashing lights and camera cuts to the bounces of his songs. Pacing wise, INSIDE plays like a slow burn out of its main character slowly chipping away at his peppy songs to end on something closer to dread and uncertainty than happiness. For a comedy special, all of this is impressively unique but I couldn’t quite latch on fully to Burnham’s emotional moments on a deeper level. While no one is immune to the horrors and pain of mental despair/illness, it’s sometimes hard to connect with the idea of a successful comedian putting on a (well produced and corporately backed) “woe is me” performance as he makes such a production in the walls of his guest house while one remembers that other people out there during this time are going through a lot worse with even less to hold onto.

I like to believe Bo Burnham is putting on a fully genuine performance here but at times in the midst of his special, it’s hard to really get on his level of despair. But that might be my general vibe towards Burnham’s comedic stylings which skew towards a sort of dark, self-deprecating angle that is only buoyed by Burnham’s chipper inflections — indeed, if he wanted to, Burnham would make a killing writing and performing songs for a kids show — but yeah, I simply may just not vibe with Burnham’s comedy. At least not for an hour-plus special. Whatever the case, INSIDE is an impressive construction; a performance piece that at the very least shows off its ringleader’s talent both in front of and behind the camera. While I can’t for certain say this special will stick with me, it may just impact others on a deeper level and for a comedy special to do that in any situation, well…that’s special.

3/5