Home › Reviews › In Theaters › “Big Break” has cult comedy group Simple Town leap from the stage onto the cinema screen, creating plenty of hysterics along the way. [Fantasia]

“Big Break” has cult comedy group Simple Town leap from the stage onto the cinema screen, creating plenty of hysterics along the way. [Fantasia]

By justin waldman on July 20, 2026 • ( 0 )

Comedy is subjective, but when it’s done right and done in a way that hasn’t been overdrawn and overdone, then it can be a wild success. In Ian Faria’s first feature, cult comedy group Simple Town (known to their fans, had some runs on Adult Swim, and some runs at Edenborough Fringe) tries to reach new heights. What’s presented would be ample for the stage, which is the group’s specialty, so to cater to a film audience and adapt to the cinematic scale, the script written by Sam Lanier (That Which Speaketh: Episode 1) just needed some tightening to make it feel less like a rough sketch idea being fleshed out and more like a polished final product, to bring the chaos full center. There is a lot of ingenuity presented that is surely going to delight audiences and have them beaten with their funny bone. Another indie darling, Big Break is having its world premiere in the Horizon 2026 section of Fantasia International Film Festival 2026.

Big Break focuses on friends Caroline, Felipe, and Will (Caroline Yost, Felipe Di Poi, and Will Neidmann, respectively) as they go visit their old friend and teammate on the comedy scene, Sam (Sam Lanier), who’s broken out in Hollywood. The three friends want to have the big break they have not had yet. They’ve had a falling out with Sam and think it’s awkward they’re even getting together considering the fact they haven’t really talked or seen each other in years; but fame and fortune certainly convinces everyone to do things they normally won’t do. However, things are a little weird and unsettling when they reach Sam’s house. When the true horrors reveal themselves, Caroline, Felipe, and Will decide to take it upon themselves to do whatever it takes to get cast in Sam’s next movie, even if their morals are pulling them in another way.

Four characters in a dimly lit hallway, with one man holding a flashlight, illuminating his concerned expression.

L-R: Caroline Yost as Caroline, Samuel Lanier as Sam, Will Niedmann as Will, and Felipe Di Poi Tamargo as Felipe in Ian Faria’s BIG BREAK. Photo courtesy of Simple Town.

What makes Big Break work is that this story is not anything new. Groups break up all the time, it’s nothing new, but having it centered on something horrific and life-endangering, and choosing to turn it into a career opportunity for this sense of comedy is something different for the genre. Doing something different is the right start, but having something to truly capture the audience by going bolder and crazier than anticipated brings forth a stronger reaction. Big Break plays it a little safe within the story it is telling, albeit with an ending that certainly I did not see coming.

Lanier writing himself as the self-centered, dark, egotistical leading man works as that character plays incredibly well with the performance he brings to the film. Without ever seeing Simple Town’s previous works, it’s hard to say if this is a character he always plays, one who, after leaving the group while keeping the door open for his friends to come back, hides his dark secrets in his wheelhouse, truly repulsing and terrifying audiences. The character trio of Yost (Scary Car), Di Poi (Stress Positions), and Neidmann (Scary Car), wants to share in the fame and go to lengths further than anyone thought possible just to accomplish their desires in a cursed tale, but they all succeed at their own “ego versus moral rightness” quandary. There is a reason why these four make up a successful comedy group, and that is evidenced by their performances and the chemistry between them presented here.

A man and woman in a vehicle look alarmed, displaying signs of distress and injuries, as they focus on something outside the frame.

L-R: Caroline Yost as Caroline and Will Niedmann as Will in Ian Faria’s BIG BREAK. Photo courtesy of Simple Town.

Big Break allows audiences to experience Simple Town’s brand of comedy on a larger scale than before. While there are some things left to be desired, including a further exploration of how far things can go, there is a lot of promise in Lanier’s ability to craft a screenplay with his cohorts. While Faria’s direction is strong, as well, it’s just missing that little extra emphasis to create something more intense and memorable, leaving Big Break without its big break.

Screening during Fantasia International Film Festival 2026.

For more information, head to the official Fantasia International Film Festival Big Break webpage.

Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.