Sacramento (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

A charismatic and free Rickey (Michael Angarano) attempts to rekindle his friendship with Glenn (Michael Cera), a married, stuffy man with a baby on the way. As they travel hours away to Sacramento, truths are revealed, lines are crossed, and a friendship that was once full of life hangs in the balance. 

Maybe a bit derivative of A Real Pain, Sacramento manages to pull off dry humor better than the former. The combination of Angarano and Cera creates something warming and familiar–comedy that lands nearly every step of the way. Dry like the Sahara, this duo pulls comedy out of thin air, helping to develop something fluid and unwaveringly accessible throughout. Much of this stems from the direction of Angarano (who wears many hats in this production), as he frequently sets a scene in which he and Cera are able to thrive. The series of faux pas and moderately dark bits of humor build on one another, step by step, creating something grounded–mildly hyperbolic, but grounded nonetheless. 

Sacramento culminates in something visceral, emotionally driven in a way that’s far different from the majority of the film. It’s a sudden jolt of emotional energy straight to the heart, one that viewers can ride out through the remaining thirty minutes of the film–and it works perfectly. It’s abundantly clear in the early going of Sacramento that the comedy, as effective as it is, can only take the film so far–making the dramatic ending not only effective, but necessary. While the final transition was abrupt, it’s warranted and perfectly executed. 

Your standard comedy tends to lean heavily into just that, comedy–often omitting well-executed technical aspects. Sacramento is an exception to this rule, as Angarano and Director of Photography Ben Mullen create captivating visuals that nicely envelope these characters and play a role in driving their narratives forward. Oftentimes, the use of color helps to set the scene, to create something immersive and cathartic–spanning the entirety of the film. In one particular scene just before the film’s emotional conclusion, Glenn dons a yellow shirt that effectively blends into the 1950’s-esque yellow kitchen of another character–signifying the sad fact that he exists in the background of his own life, simply floating by with little control. As the scene progresses, Glenn is seen at a series of different angles that slowly separate him from the wall–just to be thrust back into it like an amorphous blob. The majority of his character arc is effectively summed up in this scene–a brilliant representation of his character and of what Angarano and his team are able to achieve in Sacramento. 

Sacramento is a step up from your typical comedies, particularly those that look to conclude with an emotional assault. It’s often hard to effectively transition from comedy to something effectively emotional–but Angarano does this with grace and aplomb. Sacramento ends just as strong as it begins–and the technical prowess of this team allows the film to flow smoothly from the start. A touching tribute to mental health, with brilliantly developed humor throughout–Sacramento hits all the right notes. 

Directed by Michael Angarano.

Written by Michael Angarano & Christopher Nichols Smith. 

Starring Michael Cera, Maya Erskine, Michael Angarano, Kristen Stewart, Rosalind Chao, etc. 

8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING