The Baltimorons (2025) Review
Directed by: Jay Duplass
Written by: Jay Duplass, Michael Strassner
Starring: Michael Strassner, Liz Larsen
Release Date: September 5, 2025
Jay Duplass’s Baltimorons (2025), starring Michael Strassner and Liz Larsen, starts off grating but transforms into a funny, heartfelt romance. Here’s why it won me over.
First Impressions: Ready to Walk Outt
About 20 minutes into Baltimorons, I was ready to give up. The lead character, Cliff, struck me as obnoxious, whiny, and deeply off-putting. But I stuck with it, partly out of duty as a reviewer—and I’m glad I did. To my surprise, Baltimorons gradually won me over, morphing from an irritating character study into an unconventional but charming love story about a recovering alcoholic and his emergency dentist.
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Michael Strassner’s Cliff: A Man on the Edge
Michael Strassner stars as Cliff, a man six months removed from a failed suicide attempt. After his belt snapped during the attempt, he found sobriety in A.A. and walked away from his improv career, assuming he could no longer perform without alcohol. Cliff tries to reinvent himself as a mortgage broker, complete with a fiancée and family obligations.
On Christmas Eve, however, a fluke accident sends him scrambling for an emergency dentist. Enter Dr. Didi (Liz Larsen), the only one willing to open her office that night. After fixing his tooth, her kindness extends to helping Cliff when his car gets towed. By this point, I was practically yelling at the screen for her to walk away from this grating man.
Cliff is intially so whiny and unlikable that I wanted to walk out on the movie. It's remarkable how much I loathed this character. I was thinking that there was nothing the movie could do to redeem him, especially if he was going to continue down the road of being whiny and entitled.
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When Baltimorons Finds Its Heart
But then something shifts. As Cliff and Didi spend more time together, the movie begins to evolve into a comic romance. Through late-night conversations, stories of trauma, and shared vulnerabilities, Cliff becomes more human—and Didi’s growing affection for him begins to feel believable.
One standout scene takes place at Didi’s ex’s Christmas party. Pretending to be her boyfriend, Cliff uses his improv skills to highlight her successes, win over the crowd, and defuse awkward attention aimed at her. For the first time, Cliff shows genuine warmth and support, and the film finds its spark.
Another key moment arrives when Cliff finally returns to the stage. Pulled into a sketch performance, he brings Didi with him, showcasing his sharp wit and comedic instincts. It’s both funny and awkward, but it proves Cliff’s talent and hints at the man he could be when not buried under insecurity.
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Liz Larsen Grounds the Film
While Strassner’s Cliff undergoes a gradual transformation, Liz Larsen anchors the film as Dr. Didi. Her performance is natural, unpredictable, and authentic. She doesn’t feel like a scripted “movie character” but like a real person reacting in the moment. Her grounded presence allows Cliff’s evolution to feel believable rather than forced.
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Final Thoughts: From Frustration to Affection
By the end of Baltimorons, I realized I’d gone from wanting to write a scathing review to genuinely rooting for these characters. Jay Duplass, along with Strassner and Larsen, crafts a story where redemption comes not from dramatic transformation but from small, revealing moments. Cliff doesn’t change overnight; instead, his better qualities slowly surface, making his relationship with Didi unexpectedly moving.
I began this film convinced I would hate it. I ended it loving the characters, laughing at their awkwardness, and believing in their connection. Baltimorons may not be easy to like at first, but stick with it—the payoff is worth it.
