Hello interweb, you bright shining bastion of sexy. I’m Matt Cohen… And you’re my everything.

It’s been a while. Without going into detail, I had some errands that needed taken care of. Space errands. “How’s space,” you might ask? Cold, lonely, shitty TV reception – but surprisingly good bagels. Enough of that, though. You can read the mission report from NASA. That’s not why I’m here. “Why is he here,” you might be asking yourself? (I totally set you up for that). What could possibly pull me back from the outer reaches of the heavens to join you here, once again, in the written form?

Movies. Movies, movies, movies. What in the heck are movies? Scholars maintain that they were first discovered in the early fourteenth century, when a small Latvian boy named Unter Vander-Wool stumbled and accidentally fell into a pile of celluloid while reciting a monologue from A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at the same time a passerby just so happened to be shining a 6-K light in Unter’s face while, serendipitously, a small neighborhood cat held a boom pole over the whole scene.  And with that calamitous (and extremely bloody… We’ll miss you Unter) event the motion picture industry was born. And like any growing American child, the film industry has gone through its share of changes and phases. At first, the audience was fine with just a man getting squirted by a hose. That’s all there was – “Man vs. Hose” films for four hundred odd years. And then on one fateful day, someone realized “Hey, why doesn’t that chap try and reason with the hose?!!!” And like that… The world met a good friend named “Talkie”.

“But what’s the state of Talkies today?!?!” you may be screaming at the top of your lungs while making repeated stabbing motions. “How can I, the discerning Joe Local or Nancy Small-ville, decide which motion picture is worth my hard-earned and/or illicitly gained scrap?” Well, governor (or governess, no judging), I’ll tell ya… Right here is where you’ll find out. With this here nifty column, the fine folks at Quick Stop have set me up with a newfangled computing box, a carton of hand rolled cigarillos, and an all access E-Ticket pass to… The Wonderful World Of Talkies!

To kick this hootenanny (it’s a word) off with a kneepuddler (not a word), let’s take a gander at the new feature length talkie MYSTERY TEAM!!! And, lucky for us, it’s a good’un.

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Every few years it seems like a new batch of sketch comedy troupes pop up, seemingly out of the ether. In the early 90’s you had KIDS IN THE HALL, MR. SHOW, and THE UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE. Then again, a few years ago we were presented with THE WHITEST KIDZ U KNOW, HUMAN GIANT, and TIM AND ERIC AWESOME SHOW. And besides these, the “big ones”, there are countless other groups on the internet and locally, performing sketch comedy and building up loyal followings.

What I’m trying to get at is that we live in a world flush with sketch comedy. And we also live in a world flush with mediocre sketch comedy. For every group that succeeds, there are fifty that fail miserably. It seems to be the toughest genre of comedy to not only produce at a level of high quality, but to sustain that quality over a long period of time. With all these things being said, a very different, very funny sketch troupe appeared out of the night about three years ago with a video about BRO-RAPE. And, to an extent, the world has never been the same.

Yes, I’m talking about DERRICK COMEDY. Founded at NYU, nurtured on the stages of various New York City comedy clubs, and currently the undisputed reigning champions of “Internet Comedy”. At the time of this article, a glance at their YouTube page reveals god-like numbers (if god was in the internet funny game, ya know?). BLOWJOB GIRL has 14,988,093 views. If BLOWJOB GIRL was a nation, it would be the 66th most populous nation on earth. BRO-RAPE, with 7,048,104 views would be the 98th most populous country, right between Israel and Hong Kong. And those are no-joke countries. Like, I’ve heard of them.

So it’s established that DERRICK has a following, and one based solely on the quality of their work and not celebrity cameos and topical titles that generate viral views. These five (performers DC Pierson, Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover, director Dan Eckman, and producer Meggie Mcfadden) very young and very talented filmmakers have shown to the world that they’ve mastered the “short film” (or “sketch”, depending on what crowd you’re in). And that’s all well and good. Things were looking bright for DERRICK.

And then they foolishly decided to take a gamble.

They decided to write, star, produce, and direct their own feature film. To branch out from 3-7 minute videos to a full “real deal” movie, a transition that is notoriously rocky at best (MISS MARCH, KIDS IN THE HALL: BRAIN CANDY, LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN’S APOCALYPSE, or pretty much ANY SNL film ever made). They decided to throw all caution to the wind, and to do what many have tried and few have succeeded at. How did they fare? Well, here’s a hint… I was joking about it being a foolish decision.

Ladies and germs, I am both proud and thrilled to report that MYSTERY TEAM, the debut film from DERRICK COMEDY, is not only good… it’s pretty damn great (and it’s playing in NYC at the Quad Cinema starting December 4th). The fact that such a young team of filmmakers made this film is quite frankly astonishing… and kind of frustrating. Why are they so much better then me? Is it cause of that time I stole that DVD at K-Mart? I apologized AND cried!

As some of you know, my brain works better in bullet point format. I am a strange bird. Without further ado, let’s get into the specifics of what make MYSTERY TEAM such a hilarious and original film.

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BOFFO! (The Good):

The Script/Plot: Based on a story by all five members and written by DC, Dominic, and Donald, MYSTERY TEAM is a love letter to early Spielberg, childhood detective novels, and super-heroes. Basically, all of the important things in life. MYSTERY TEAM takes place in a small New Hampshire town that is home to a trio of friends, Jason (Donald Glover), Duncan (DC Pierson), and Charlie (Dominic Dierkas). Whereas typical 18-year-old seniors in high school would be spending their summer partying away and getting ready for college, we find the three friends operating as they always have – Formed when they were children, Jason, Duncan, and Charlie are still, as adults, the owners and members of the MYSTERY TEAM, a rag-tag detective agency (with shades of ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN galore) that specializes in all cases elementary (school), from missing cats, lost marbles, and noogies to double-murders (we’ll get to that one in a moment). And they love what they do. Though their schoolmates torment them as losers and their parents don’t understand them, THE MYSTERY TEAM is dedicated to solving their town’s crimes, no matter how small.

Each member comes equipped with a “power” and color code (I love comic-books). Jason, is a self-branded master of disguise. Duncan, the resident boy genius, and Charlie is the “strongest kid” in town. At the beginning of the film it seems life will not change much for these kids, which is sad because they’re so likable, but understandable because they’re… well, weird. They don’t curse, they don’t smoke or drink, and girls are still yucky. Yet, they have each other. Three kindred odd souls. And they seem happy.

Their lives are shaken when a young girl shows up at the MYSTERY TEAM’s doors one day with their most important and challenging case to date: A double-murder. No more kid stuff. The MYSTERY TEAM is going big time. I don’t want to go into spoiler heavy territory, as I recommend you should see it with completely fresh eyes. The inevitable ensues, of course, and the boys are thrown way over their heads into a situation from which they can’t escape. Throw a love interest into the mix, some tension amongst the team, and an overhanging murder and you’ve got a film that works not only as a comedy but as an actual murder mystery.

I can’t think of how many times I’ve seen films from comedians I love only to wind up laughing yet hating the plot. Rarely do the two meet, it seems, in level of quality. Yes, MYSTERY TEAM is hilarious and unique and very much indicative of the DERRICK COMEDY brand, but the plot holds up on its own, as well. It never feels tacked on like it does in so many comedies where laughs are the ONLY focus. This is a real movie. And I hate to sound so dismissive, like I assumed it wouldn’t be, but I gotta be honest – I expected to laugh, but I never expected to become invested in the plot… And I did. As a genre fan, this movie totally functions on its own as a mystery. Now, mind you, not a ground-breaking, game-changing type one, but a solid throughline for a very funny film. Speaking of the funny…

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The Comedy: And this is where it counts. Mind you, comedy is very personal affair so you may not agree with me laugh-wise, but MYSTERY TEAM, in my not-humble-at-all opinion, is not only the funniest movie of the year, but one of the funniest debut offerings I’ve seen from a comedy group in my life. Now, I’m not gonna rank it against those films, but in terms of importance and exposing the world to a new “kind” of laughter, MYSTERY TEAM is right up there with the HOLY GRAILs and SUPER TROOPERS of the world. From minute one we, as an audience, are absolutely inundated in DERRICK-style comedy. And you go with it. Sure, it helps to have seen their youtube videos to familiarize yourself a bit with their particular brand of madcap, but their comedy is so accessible and immediately “familiar” that you kind of just go “Sure. This is a DERRICK movie. Makes sense.” In a world where everyone wants to be PYTHON or MR. SHOW, DERRICK is decisively themselves. And I happen to be a huge fan of them. A mix of “one-liners” and hilarious situations, the laughs fly at you from all fronts. As far as a joke-to-laugh ratio, this film is one of the better ones I’ve seen in recent years. For instance, I can’t really think of any bits or jokes that “fell flat”. I mean sure, some hit more than others, but what DERRICK does (and is quite skilled at) is to imbue the film with a level of consistency throughout, in every aspect. One could describe comedy like a wine, I think, in its particular notes and flavors. And if I’m playing sommelier, I would bring MYSTERY TEAM to your table like this: “A tremendously smart blend of cerebral and gross out humor coupled with a base foundation of randomness that doesn’t pander to the ‘bizarre’ side, MYSTERY TEAM (and DERRICK) is masterful in its ability to create elaborate and unexpected laughs while maintaining a simplicity that excludes no one.”

Oh shit… I should totally be a comedy sommelier. I could wear a bow tie and everything!!!!

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The Performances: Like any comedy, MYSTERY TEAM is only as good as the comedians making it. Lucky for everyone involved that the assembled talent is not only ridiculously funny, but all “work” on the big screen. Not a single performer feels out of their range. I’d like to spotlight each of the main boys for a moment, if you’ll allow.

Donald Glover/Jason: By now, most of you will be familiar with Donald’s work on NBC’S COMMUNITY, and though you may not know his name yet, I can’t tell you how many rave reviews I’ve heard about “the black dude from COMMUNITY”. MYSTERY TEAM, and his lead role of Jason, WILL make you remember this gentleman’s name.

Donald manages to be instantly likable and charismatic. Maybe a lot of that is due to that smile of his, which disarms and makes you chuckle all at the same time. DERRICK comedy is very much a five person group, and MYSTERY TEAM is very much a three person ensemble, but I don’t think even the filmmakers would argue that the character of Jason is the glue that holds the team together, and in many ways Donald Glover’s performance does the same with the film. Natural doesn’t begin to describe this young man. To realize that this is his first feature, let alone his first “lead” role, impresses immediately. This dude was born to be on screen. In the coming years I’m sure we’ll hear lots and lots from Mr. Glover and his work here will be the role people talk about when they first discuss how they “discovered Donald”. As Jason, the master of disguise, he gets to wield a sense of naivete and childish hope while never going into the realm of parody. Jason (as do Duncan and Charlie) feels like a “real kid” even though he’s obviously not your traditional teenager. I think not taking this character “over the top” would be a challenge for many actors, especially ones as young as Donald Glover, but he handles the role with the grace and charm of a 20 year vet. Also, though they are admittedly ridiculous, his “disguises” are some the highlights of the film.  I would see a movie starring the Mexican Plumber, and gladly. Look for a lot more from this young man in the near future.

DC Pierson/Duncan: If Donald/Jason is the mouth of MYSTERY TEAM, then DC/Duncan is the brains. Playing the “boy genius” (when in reality he just memorized a book of random facts when he was younger) of the group, DC manages to bring so much nuance and quirk to the role that in many ways Duncan is rendered the most real of all the characters. And I think that’s a credit to Mr. Pierson. Everyone remembers that know-it-all kid from school, and most not in a fond light. For MYSTERY TEAM to work, we had to like these characters. Had to. And who likes the kid who thinks he knows everything? DC makes me like that kid. Another actor would have NAPOLEON DYNAMITE-d this role, which would have been a colossal mistake, whereas DC plays Duncan with such a sense of child-like wonder and yet a weird level of pragmatism, that a character who may appear sort of one-dimensional on paper springs to life on the screen with fantastic results. To transition from small stages and the world wide web into such a large roll in a feature film would seem daunting to most performers, whereas DC seems like he’s had Duncan “in his pocket” for years. DC gets most of the heavy lifting from a dramatic standpoint, as well, and thrives at every opportunity. Without spoiling, there is a moment in the third act where Duncan undergoes a pretty significant character change and we see a drastically different side to the boy. For an actor to be able to pull this off without it feeling unnatural or uncharacteristic is a truly great skill, and one DC has in spades. This guy can do it all. I would wager that if you cast Mr. Pierson in a dramatic role, he would bring the same level of professionalism and subtlety that he gives in all his comedic performances. A mop-topped horse of different colors, and a much welcome addition to the forefront of today’s comedy scene.

Dominic Dierkes/Charlie: Jason’s the mouth, Duncan’s the brains – Charlie is one giant, walking heart. The “Strongest Boy in Town” (though we don’t get to see if this is true or not… or do we? OH, THE SUSPENSE!) and third member of the MYSTERY TEAM is pretty dim. And that is a huge understatement. Alright, let’s not mince words; Charlie is functionally retarded. If any of the MYSTERY TEAM was late to “bloom”, it’d be Charlie, who comes off like a kindergartner to Jason and Duncan’s fourth-graders. And though his character is admittedly dumb, Dominic Dierkes, like all the other DERRICK boys, never takes him to a level of parody. It doesn’t feel “sketchy”. Yeah, Charlie’s dumb – so what? You know dumb people, as do I. The thing that Dominic does brilliantly is offset that “thickheadnessness” with a level of enthusiasm and child-like abandonment. If any member of the MYSTERY TEAM is really a child, it’s Charlie. And as such, Dierkes does a phenomenal job playing him. In other comedies with characters like Charlie, you often groan and roll your eyes at the new levels of stupidity they manage to succumb to. The contrary happens here, and when Charlie/Dierkes has his moments, you almost want to hug him and say “Oh, Charlie!!!”  It’s a testament to the actor that I’d actually want to hang out with this kid, despite knowing his particular “eccentricities”. A lot of this has to do with specific choices Mr. Dierkes made for Charlie, a big part of that being the characters physicality. Charlie’s walk, or bound, is so damned “happy” you know this kid doesn’t have a dark though in his head. In a world obsessed with mean spirited comedy (myself, guilty and included) it’s such a refreshing change of pace to see a genuinely goodhearted laugh-out-loud film, filled with characters you actually care about. And though Dierkes doesn’t get quite as many “one-liners” as his compatriots, it’s just that overall Charlie sensibility that makes the character and the actor performing him so winning. One of the most charming and flat out likable roles in recent comedy history. Very well done.

Aubrey Plaza/Kelly: You may know her from her work in FUNNY PEOPLE or on NBC’S PARKS AND RECREATION – and if you don’t, trust me… you will soon. One look at Aubrey Plaza and we know she is physically stunning. And not in a traditional Hollywood starlet way, either. This young lady is something special. And in the world we live in, she’d probably get work based on her looks alone. Ms. Plaza, while a stunner, also happens to be one of the funniest and most talented young actresses working in comedy today. She, in everything I’ve seen her in, relays such a sense of realism that I constantly feel like I’ve “met” her characters before, or someone much like them. Kelly, in MYSTERY TEAM is no different. That smart, beautiful, edgy, semi-dangerous, semi-sad girl we all crushed on in high school but who we assumed lived on “another planet” from us – Kelly, is that girl. One doesn’t wonder for a moment what Jason sees in her, as we all see it ourselves. Rarely does someone with such a presence come along, especially someone working in comedy, that you are drawn to the screen like a moth to the flame. The fact that we like Kelly goes along way in making us understand Jason’s motivations throughout the film. Often times i watch movies where I could care less about the “love interests” and they feel like superfluous subplots. Very much the opposite here. Plaza’s grace and kindness as Kelly keep us as motivated to solve the crime and save the day as the MYSTERY TEAM themselves are.

Bobby Moynihan/Jordy: Oh my word, Bobby comes this close to stealing the whole show. Though Jordy does not have much screen time, I can guarantee you will be quoting his lines in the weeks after you see the film. Mr Moynihan, now a two season veteran of SNL is, in my opinion, on a shortlist of the top 10 funniest people working in the industry today (check out my interview with Bobby on Bagged & Boarded). And if you weren’t already on the Bobby-Wagon, get ready to buy your ticket. I still don’t know what or who Jordy is. EVERYTHING about this character is off… and off in an amazingly hilarious way. The freaking cadence of his sentences made me laugh till I was tearing up. In a movie filled with “freaks”, Jordy is the king freak. And in many ways I feel like he has his own personal movie going on behind the scenes. If they were to give the film a prequel treatment I, for one, would pay an obscene amount of money to watch what happens to Jordy when the boys aren’t in his store. Look, I love MYSTERY TEAM, I love DERRICK COMEDY, but Bobby’s performance in this film is worth the price of admission alone. Quite possibly my favorite on-screen character of the year.

Others To Watch For: First, a special note about Xavier Salazar as Eric , the crazy, foul-mouthed eight-year-old. Bobby J doesn’t have anything on this kid. Man, I love when little kids curse. The rest of the ensemble is basically a UCB roll-call of the nation’s most talented improvisers and comedians. While not show-stealing, they provide the backbone of the film and they do it wonderfully. Standouts include Will Hines, Ellie Kemper, John Lutz, Matt Walsh, Jon Daly, and Neil Casey, in what may be my favorite role in recent film history.

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QUICK HIT LIST:

The Directing: It’s hard to gauge a director’s mark on a comedy oftentimes, and especially on one that stars the folks who wrote it. Comedies are really about the laughs, and for the most part that comes down to writing/acting (and editing). How would one judge a director’s impact on a hilarious film? Here’s an easy way – Remove the laughs. Does the move still hold up? Structurally, visually… does it have a constant? For those reasons, I must commend director Dan Eckman in creating not only an obviously funny film, but quite a cinematically sound one as well. For a group of debut filmmakers working on an independent budget, Eckman manages to deliver a film devoid of the tell-tales signs of indie-filmmaking. Rather, as soon as the movie starts, you are presented with a polished, professional, and all together quality product. Directing a film is a huge undertaking, and I can’t imagine the pressure on someone’s first big feature. Eckman shows a real talent for nurturing the funny and an extremely strong penchant for simple, solid filmmaking.

The Score: The film’s score, created by Donald Glover, is dope. Like… dope dope. Dude makes some good beats. Also manages to get some real “old school” 80’s kid’s movie transitions and what not in there. Good stuff.

The Color: This movie pops! Lots of bright colors on the boys, tons of lush green grasses, and beautiful idyllic New England landscapes. For an “independent” film, it looks damn pretty.

The Production: Though it may not be apparent on screen, producing a feature film is a gargantuan task I wouldn’t wish on my greatest enemy. One needs to be organized, extremely task oriented, and have an ability to roll with any and all punches. Meggie McFadden pulls this off. For an indie production, this film looks, feels, and plays like the “real” thing, and the ensuing campaign and online marketing blitz has been nothing but masterful. It’s a tough gig, but one Ms. McFadden seems destined for greatness in. I also love to think that her skills as a producer will grow alongside the talents of the rest of the group, and sooner or later, due to these confluences, DERRICK is going to be a force to be reckoned with… yo.

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OH, HAM-SPLATTER! (The Bad):

I got nothing. A wholly and completely enjoyble experience on every front.

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OVERALL: I honestly think this film will be remembered as the movie that brought DERRICK to the table of American comedy and kept them there for a very long time. And if nothing, it will be remembered as a hilarious, weird, unique, one-of-a-kind little comedy that proved America’s big talents can come from nontraditional venues. I am incredibly excited to be a fan of DERRICK and to see where this group of insanely talented artists can go in this world. Look, I knew I would like this movie. I am floored at just how much I did. I can’t say enough how polished and experienced everyone involved comes off, and honestly, I think this movie gives hope to all those kids sitting at home with the ideas and the determination, but lacking the direction. DERRICK has taught us that if your product is good enough, people will want it. Regardless of where they have to get it. This movie is round one in an epic comedy battle for the ages and a veritable showcase for the people who will be making us laugh in the near future.

Quite simply: One of the freshest, funniest and original debut films I’ve ever seen.

America, meet your new way to laugh.

MYSTERY TEAM is now playing in NYC at the Quad Cinemas and will hit DVD worldwide sometime in 2010 via Lionsgate.

For More DERRICK, check out my interview with DC Pierson and Maggie McFadden on Bagged & Boarded 40: A Brief Respite with Derrick Comedy

Matt Cohen is currently solving the mystery of where his pot went. Main suspects: His Lungs.

Check out Matt Cohen on a weekly basis on his podcast “Bagged & Boarded“, only at QuickStop and iTunes.

Want to stalk Matt Cohen? Check out Camel Toad Productions or catch him on twitter at @Cameltoad

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