September 10, 2025
FILM: THE BALTIMORONS
DIRECTED BY: JAY DUPLASS
STARRING: MICHAEL STRASSNER, LIZ LARSEN, OLIVIA LUCCARDI
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
It’s September. Are you ready for a Christmas movie? How about one that features two really interesting characters played by actors with great chemistry? The Baltimorons is the latest film from director/actor Jay Duplass who co-wrote the script with lead actor Michael Strassner. The entire film takes place in one 24-hour period from Christmas Eve until Christmas Day in Baltimore. It’s a sweet film about two damaged middle-aged adults who find each other at just the right time. If this sounds cliché, well, it could be accused of falling into the traps of a romantic comedy but this one feels fresher and more down to earth than what we’ve come to expect from the genre.
Strassner plays Cliff, a 6-months sober alcoholic who has had his try at stand-up and sketch comedy but has recently taken a test to become a mortgage broker. At the start of the film, he is driving with his fiancé Brittany to her mother’s house for Christmas Eve. He’s promised Brittany that he won’t drink or appear on a comedy stage due to some past indiscretions. Within minutes of arriving, Cliff has a dental emergency that needs immediate attention. Since it is the day before Christmas, a dentist is near impossible to find until he locates the one who is available, Didi, played by Liz Larsen. Bearing a striking resemblance to somewhere between Edie Falco and Joey Lauren Adams, she’s tough but pretty enough for Cliff to become smitten with her. After leaving her office, a series of misadventures occur that put both characters together for the next several hours.
The key to the film’s success is in part the script by Duplass and Strassner who create very relatable people in Cliff and Didi. They’ve both been having a rough go at life. In the very first scene, we see Cliff attempt suicide which, not surprisingly, isn’t successful. Didi’s ex-husband is about to be married again and has invited their daughter for Christmas leaving Didi alone for the holiday. There’s a nice build to the relationship that develops between Cliff and Didi. They’re not stereotypical young people trying to find “true” love. Rather they’ve both been through the ropes and have low expectations. They live in the moment. The development of their relationship is reminiscent of the great male/female connections made in films like the Oscar-winning Marty or Rocky.
As day turns into night, they enter a comedy club that is housed in a gas station leading to their first “fight.” However, as they walk down a Christmas light-filled street their bond becomes stronger. Such a scene might fulfill certain expectations viewers might have for what is a romantic comedy and a Christmas movie to boot. Interestingly though, there’s no snow and the film works better because of it. In fact, it’s a pretty sunny, clear day and night. How often have we been taught by movies that a Christmas should be white? How often do we really get such a day in real life? Don’t get me wrong, Duplass lets us know it’s cold outside (we can see the breaths) but this is not a traditional snowy Christmas movie. It does feature music we’re all familiar with from A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi. It’s musical motifs beautifully underscore the film but there’s something about the way that Duplass handles these scenes that feels less artificial than what we’re used to seeing and feeling.
Another element that steers it away from expectations and makes the film stronger is its illustration that life can go on after a break-up, a suicide attempt, or becoming sober. Each of these are treated delicately but without the major emotional swings we might typically see in films with similar themes. Duplass doesn’t try to sugar coat these characters’ experiences but attempts to be optimistic about overcoming them.
Strassner and Larsen are incredibly well-suited for these characters. While I’m not familiar with their previous work, I found their performances to be original and deeply satisfying to watch. Their chemistry is palpable throughout the film.
Credit should also be given to the cinematography work in the film. Completely shot on location, Baltimore as a city is beautifully used and surprisingly stunning to look at. When was the last time we’ve seen this Maryland city as its own character in a film?
Yes, Hallmark fans will like this and I think people who like contemporary Christmas films will too. It’s the kind of work we’d expect from Jay Duplass who, along with his brother Mark, has made a career out of directing/producing and starring in films and television series that offer smart reflections of who we are today without a lot of excess cliché.
The Baltimorons opens wide this week.
FILM: THE BALTIMORONS
DIRECTED BY: JAY DUPLASS
STARRING: MICHAEL STRASSNER, LIZ LARSEN, OLIVIA LUCCARDI
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
It’s September. Are you ready for a Christmas movie? How about one that features two really interesting characters played by actors with great chemistry? The Baltimorons is the latest film from director/actor Jay Duplass who co-wrote the script with lead actor Michael Strassner. The entire film takes place in one 24-hour period from Christmas Eve until Christmas Day in Baltimore. It’s a sweet film about two damaged middle-aged adults who find each other at just the right time. If this sounds cliché, well, it could be accused of falling into the traps of a romantic comedy but this one feels fresher and more down to earth than what we’ve come to expect from the genre.
Strassner plays Cliff, a 6-months sober alcoholic who has had his try at stand-up and sketch comedy but has recently taken a test to become a mortgage broker. At the start of the film, he is driving with his fiancé Brittany to her mother’s house for Christmas Eve. He’s promised Brittany that he won’t drink or appear on a comedy stage due to some past indiscretions. Within minutes of arriving, Cliff has a dental emergency that needs immediate attention. Since it is the day before Christmas, a dentist is near impossible to find until he locates the one who is available, Didi, played by Liz Larsen. Bearing a striking resemblance to somewhere between Edie Falco and Joey Lauren Adams, she’s tough but pretty enough for Cliff to become smitten with her. After leaving her office, a series of misadventures occur that put both characters together for the next several hours.
The key to the film’s success is in part the script by Duplass and Strassner who create very relatable people in Cliff and Didi. They’ve both been having a rough go at life. In the very first scene, we see Cliff attempt suicide which, not surprisingly, isn’t successful. Didi’s ex-husband is about to be married again and has invited their daughter for Christmas leaving Didi alone for the holiday. There’s a nice build to the relationship that develops between Cliff and Didi. They’re not stereotypical young people trying to find “true” love. Rather they’ve both been through the ropes and have low expectations. They live in the moment. The development of their relationship is reminiscent of the great male/female connections made in films like the Oscar-winning Marty or Rocky.
As day turns into night, they enter a comedy club that is housed in a gas station leading to their first “fight.” However, as they walk down a Christmas light-filled street their bond becomes stronger. Such a scene might fulfill certain expectations viewers might have for what is a romantic comedy and a Christmas movie to boot. Interestingly though, there’s no snow and the film works better because of it. In fact, it’s a pretty sunny, clear day and night. How often have we been taught by movies that a Christmas should be white? How often do we really get such a day in real life? Don’t get me wrong, Duplass lets us know it’s cold outside (we can see the breaths) but this is not a traditional snowy Christmas movie. It does feature music we’re all familiar with from A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi. It’s musical motifs beautifully underscore the film but there’s something about the way that Duplass handles these scenes that feels less artificial than what we’re used to seeing and feeling.
Another element that steers it away from expectations and makes the film stronger is its illustration that life can go on after a break-up, a suicide attempt, or becoming sober. Each of these are treated delicately but without the major emotional swings we might typically see in films with similar themes. Duplass doesn’t try to sugar coat these characters’ experiences but attempts to be optimistic about overcoming them.
Strassner and Larsen are incredibly well-suited for these characters. While I’m not familiar with their previous work, I found their performances to be original and deeply satisfying to watch. Their chemistry is palpable throughout the film.
Credit should also be given to the cinematography work in the film. Completely shot on location, Baltimore as a city is beautifully used and surprisingly stunning to look at. When was the last time we’ve seen this Maryland city as its own character in a film?
Yes, Hallmark fans will like this and I think people who like contemporary Christmas films will too. It’s the kind of work we’d expect from Jay Duplass who, along with his brother Mark, has made a career out of directing/producing and starring in films and television series that offer smart reflections of who we are today without a lot of excess cliché.
The Baltimorons opens wide this week.