Tragedy is easy, its comedy that is difficult. This is an adage that has existed as long as people have been endeavouring to make audiences laugh – it is also the theme residing at the very core of Paddleton, the offbeat and endearing comedy-drama from the mind of independent cinema’s most enduring auteurs, the Duplass Brothers. A strange and beautifully moving ode to several different aspects of life, and featuring two performances by actors giving their finest work to date, Paddleton is an extraordinary way to start the year, and if the rest of 2019 is going to be anything like this, then we are set for a banner year for unique and subversive films. It is a film that embodies everything that makes independent cinema so intricate, beautiful and worthwhile, and even if we go deeper than its quirky and often extremely funny exterior, we find a film that will evoke the tears and bring you both everlasting joy and profound sadness – and in essence, Paddleton is a film that I think we can all agree would at least be good, but very few could have predicted something so touching and audacious, taking this film to the realm of the utterly brilliant, and the year’s first bona fide masterpiece.

Michael (Mark Duplass) is a lonely man, working in a courier shop and having very little else to get him up in the morning. His only companion is Andy (Ray Romano), a middle-aged office worker who lives directly above him, also being equally as lonely and filled with the same existential despair and unhappiness in this modern world. The pair find solace in each other, spending many evenings making pizza, watching the same kung fu film and playing games, such as the titular ball game that they invented and partake in with furious passion, finding a kindred spirit in each other, helping to deafen the crushing solitude, especially in the presence of many other people around them that seem so happy and content. Michael receives distressing news – he has terminal cancer, and there is nothing the doctors can do to help him. His only option is to let the disease take its course – and when he discovers that there is an option for him to end his life on his own terms before the suffering becomes too intense, he decides to take fate up on its offer, and who else to help him along with this scheme than his best (and only) friend, Andy? Hesitations and misunderstandings ensue as the duo embarks on the journey, finding out more about each other than they had previously thought, working through their personal issues to find common ground when faced with one’s own mortality, and realizing that sometimes one only understands how to live when they are on the path to death.

Paddleton is primarily a film about journeys – and its multiple themes can very easily be categorized as being elements of this film’s intention to show the (meta)physical journeys of our main characters. These are individuals constantly in some form of travail, somewhat differently (for example, Michael drives to work, whereas Andy walks, or while Michael wants to die, Andy thinks this is not a particularly good idea), but always reaching the exact same destination, albeit separated by slight differences. There are some philosophical ponderings present at the core if Paddleton, and this is a very funny film with a very serious message at its base. It remarks on how own journey towards the inevitable, how each of us has our own personal quandaries, and while it may often be more simple to just go it alone, especially when we realize each of us has our own paths. However, the lesson is that going together is often easier, and it is naturally good for the soul to share our own journeys with others. Jay and Mark Duplass (despite not serving as directors on this film) have a remarkable ability to not only make some very funny films, but ones with a solid message at their core, and Paddleton is a great representation of their brilliance as filmmakers who intend to merely question the small intricacies of human existence, and they do so through touching and beautifully poetic storytelling that is equal parts heartbreaking and hilarious.

Two individuals I never expected to see acting across from each other, let alone in two leading roles, are Mark Duplass and Ray Romano. The former is an indie filmmaker who is known for his unique approach to playing insecure characters in some small-scale films. The latter is a beloved stand-up comedian known for an iconic comedy series from over a decade ago. Naturally, as fate would have it, their pairing is just exceptional. Romano is at his best here, playing a character that plays upon his likeable everyman persona, without relying on the same charms that endeared him to us every week for many years. Romano is challenging himself as an actor, and between his exceptional performance in The Big Sick and his terrific work here, he is becoming a valuable entity in contemporary independent cinema. Mark Duplass is a splendid sparring partner, and he too is extending himself as an actor, taking on a role that sees him struggling with his own existence, or rather the imminent perishing of it. Paddleton is a very simple film, and much of it relies on the chemistry between Duplass and Romano, and their collaboration here is so deeply human, it creates for compelling viewing. One just needs to look at their final scene together, which stands as one of the most beautiful cinematic sequence of recent years, where Romano quietly wipes the tears from his eyes, and slowly helps his friend ease into a state of peaceful death, holding back his own tears while comforting Duplass, whose own fear begins to manifest. It is extraordinary acting from both actors, and it would be an injustice if their performances were not recognized with the acclaim they so richly deserve.

Where this film thrives the most and reaches its most magnificent highs, is in the approach to the story, which is a deft blend between comedy and drama, which are combined almost effortlessly. There are many works of art that focus primarily on the concept of death, and a great deal of them are capable of being both extremely profound and incredibly funny. Paddleton is one such film, and while some may market this under the sub-genre of a “cancer comedy”, it is far more than that. Mortality is a subject that should resonate with nearly everyone, because we all know how death is inevitable, and some may deal with the prospect of their life ending eventually better than others. Michael has only a few months to live, perhaps even shorter, as he has chosen to end his life before the pain becomes too unbearable – and both he and Andy have to grapple with the uncertainty that comes with not understanding what is on the other side. Paddleton is a very respectful film, and it refuses to trivialize death, and while there isn’t a shortage of marvellous comedy in this film, its approach is far from humorous, rather choosing to be a dignified meditation not only on one’s eventual death, but rather on the importance of living every moment – we live on our own terms, and if all goes well, some of us may even be allowed to die in the same way. It is excruciatingly heavy subject matter delivered through almost effervescent sensitivity and brutally endearing good-natured humour.

Paddleton extends beyond the idea of death, and it makes an equally potent impact in how it is essentially, more than anything else, an ode to friendship. Michael and Andy exist in lives governed by routine, performing the same actions nearly every day, yet they never seem to be entirely bored, and find safety in the presence of the other – in the end, each only has the other, and for that reason alone, their friendship is not only very special, but vital to their very existence. This is precisely where the central conflict in the film comes in – Andy cannot possibly fathom living a life without Michael in it. Their friendship is symbiotic, and Michael’s decision to end his life brings Andy into an existential crisis – does he honour his friend and help him, or does he resist based entirely on his own selfish motivations? Paddleton is a steadfast manifesto aimed at the strange and unconventional lone wolves, who just can’t find any way to fit into society and live their lives in their own way, occasionally encountering another kindred spirit with whom they can share a moment of unbridled oddness. The friendship at the core of Paddleton is real and extremely striking, and this is a product of both the committed performances from the two leads and the extraordinary screenplay that allows Michael and Andy to flourish into two incredibly complex, realistic characters that are far more than just independent film archetypes.

There are many ways to described Paddleton – it is an honest and bittersweet film that never takes itself too seriously, while still being very respectful to the story it tells, conveying a powerful message that is far more profound than one would expect to find in a film like this. A hilarious comedy and a sentimental drama, it is a film that will undoubtedly evoke the tears – and whether they are tears of laughter or sorrow, they are certainly as authentic as they come. This film is one that will move the viewer through its steadfast compassion to its subject, with the filmmakers simply trying to make a simple and poetic story about a number of simple themes – friendship, death and most importantly, the understanding that each of us is fighting our own individual battles, or perhaps playing our own ballgames – and sometimes it is easier to win when we have someone playing alongside us.