Three, two, one

Directed by and starring Jerrod Carmichael, “Val” and Christopher Abbot’s “Kevin” are two best friends who would do anything for each other. These lifelong friends are currently at the end of their ropes and see no way out of their situations but to end their lives. 

Forming a suicide pact, they set out on a journey to savor their last day on Earth, embarking on adventures of a comic nature, with the recurring theme of a dead-end at the end of the film. The film features a menagerie of adventures, including a pregnant girlfriend, the murder of a psychiatrist and the attempted robbing of Val’s father.

The movie is a feel-good indie film for the most part, and although its speaks on mental health, male suicide rates and the idea that death is the only exit this movie really is a drama at its finest. 

After rewatching this film it only gets better. From the chilling soundtrack to the engaging camera work, “On the Count of Three” made me feel like I was along for the ride with Val and Kevin, and, spoiler alert, the pivotal ending scene in which Kevin shoots himself in the head is one of the most well directed scenes in scenes in all of film. 

The development of the two’s friendships in their town made the film extremely engaging, retracing early life trauma, and broken relationships along the way. This is a movie which tackles depression, indecisiveness, and what it means to want to take your own life, all with a touch of humor that comes crashing down in the final minutes.