There’s a moment at the beginning of Mike Birbiglia‘s “Don’t Think Twice” that sees the cast, an improv group, trading Donald Trump impressions at a bar.
It’s a scene that seems especially relevant in 2016, but it was written and shot before Trump’s presidential bid. At the time, Birbiglia had no idea it would become as relevant as it is in 2016. His co-star Gillian Jacobs was the only one who even considered it.
“She goes, ‘He might be a real candidate, like not a joke,’” Birbiglia told TheWrap’s Stuart Brazell. “And I was like, ‘Silly actors with their ideas about things.’ And here we are.”
The film, about a group of struggling comedians in New York, is written and directed by Birbiglia, who also stars. Critics have unanimously praised the movie, which currently sits at a 100 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, something Gillian jokes is “very unfamiliar” for her.
“It’s beyond imagination,” said Keegan-Michael Key, who also stars. “He’s written this movie that has this interesting, subversive theme which is you should look at a challenge as an opportunity. You should look at failure as a learning experience.”
Birbiglia shared an anecdote about one of the movie’s screenings where an old man said he went in expecting to hate it, but came out a fan.
“That means a lot to me when it connects with older people,” he said, explaining that it’s not a movie that requires a lot of background on performing comedy. “It’s just about friends. It’s about the fact that when you’re in a group of friends, not everyone’s going to get the same things.”