There is a type of acting that hasn’t been seen in film in a long time but we frequently still seen in the theatre. It is the syle of watching two characters have a battle of wits using nothing but their words. The most famous example is the legendary Abbott and Costello sketch Who’s on First, where a simple misunderstanding becomes the groundwork for wordplay and comedy. The Mimic true to its name has characters playing off of each other words creating comical and witty situations that resurrect an age-old form of comedy. Combining the comedy style with a modern setting, and some bizarre situations and characters, the movie creates a truly unique experience.

Our narrator (Thomas Sadoski), in position and name, tells us the story of his new neighbor The Kid(Jake Robinson). Hardly a kid at 31 years old, the narrator believes he is a sociopath and would be an interesting character for a screenplay. As the narrator does his research he also begins to poke and prod into the life of The Kid and see if he himself knows he is a sociopath. As their personalities clash, they begin to learn more about the other and realize there may be more to each other than they think.

It is rare to have dialogue in movies nowadays that is as funny as it is razor-sharp. Like playing a game where you have to repeat the last word of another’s sentence, and create a new sentence, each character battles one another in the film. At any moment a battle of words can be won, a character can divulge new information, or a scene can transition. All of it comes together in perfect chaos that leaves you smiling and excited regardless of the conversation.

When it comes to the more bizarre elements of The Mimic, first and foremost is the 4th wall breaks. At first, it is as simple as a character looking at the audience but crescendos midway through the film when the director and the writer appear. They show up talking about the scene that just happened and about ways of improving the film from there. If that wasn’t strange enough a bit before there is a blatant Febreeze product placement, but is implemented in such a strange way that it almost feels as if it is parodying the very idea of product placement.

The Mimic is a film that could have great success as a stage production, but by doing it on film they have unlocked something so much greater. Seeing the closeup expressions with each bought of words is a sight to behold. The characters have clearly been lovingly put together and even background character have so much personality in the actors chosen and the clothing design. This film seems like the sort of passion project that the director/ writer (Thomas F. Mazziotti) has been perfecting for years, and the care, effort, and skills are all there in this wonderful film.

8 out of 10