“I Don’t Understand You”. On the Benefits of Duolingo

Although it might seem that in the age of trigger warnings and political correctness, black comedy is a dying genre, it actually appears to be experiencing something of a renaissance lately. A fresh addition to this revival is I Don’t Understand You, built on the tried-and-true engine of clueless Americans vacationing in Europe. And while it’s a bit of a shame that the distributors decided to spoil at least half the fun by literally summarizing the plot in the trailer (I’m not exaggerating), the film by David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano still manages to hold its own as a strong entry in the black comedy category. In I Don’t Understand You, we follow Dominick and Cole, a likable—if slightly stereotypical—gay couple on a romantic getaway to Italy.

They’re celebrating their tenth anniversary on the Apennine Peninsula, and it’s not the only milestone: they’re also on the cusp of finally securing a long-awaited adoption. So the trip serves both as a celebration and an unintentional prelude to life-changing events. Everything begins smoothly—part charming, part amusing—until a family friend arranges a special dinner at a legendary countryside home-restaurant, reopened for one night only by its elderly owner just for them.

This rustic excursion soon spirals into a rollercoaster of experiences and emotions—many of them far from pleasant. As the trailers make abundantly clear—and as the genre itself suggests—the special dinner quickly takes an unfortunate turn. Much of this stems from Dominick and Cole’s inability to communicate with those around them. Dominick is diligently practicing on Duolingo, but his skills barely go beyond basic greetings, while Cole seems largely indifferent to any cultural immersion. Together, they embody the stereotype of American tourists so steeped in Anglophone assumptions that they can’t even navigate accented English.

This, paired with their typically “urbanite” demeanor, fuels both the situational comedy and a cascade of mishaps. Craig and Crano handle the humor and gradual descent into absurdity with skill and sensitivity, delivering a fair dose of wordplay and dark slapstick. They play effectively with the clichés of both Italy and American tourists.

While they’re not breaking new ground, they work confidently within the genre’s framework. The film falters somewhat in its dramatic structure. I Don’t Understand You opens with a slow, uneventful setup before the real action kicks in, and the adoption subplot feels unnecessary—it adds little to the narrative and mainly serves as a pretext for including Amanda Seyfried, as well as a nod to themes of inclusivity. It’s clear the filmmakers had a solid idea for a black comedy of errors and then padded it out with additional threads to fill the runtime. Andrew Rannells (as the stereotypically flamboyant Cole) and Nick Kroll (as the more anxious and naively optimistic Dominick) are perfectly cast, showcasing strong comedic timing and great chemistry. Framed against the postcard-perfect backdrops of sunny Italy, they draw both sympathy and a touch of irritation—keeping the comedy grounded and avoiding excessive sweetness. I Don’t Understand You isn’t particularly original, but it doesn’t pretend to be. Craig and Crano deliver solid, enjoyable entertainment to kick off the summer—no more, no less. And in doing so, they prove that dark humor doesn’t need to be buried, and can in fact coexist with socially conscious storytelling.