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A fun show this week on BEHIND THE LENS as I get to take a look at two new films that just opened in theatres on Friday and speak with three filmmakers whom I\u2019ve spoken with in the past, all of whose work I admire, respect, and in the case of one director, can\u2019t get enough of. I\u2019m talking about the wonderful filmmaking team of MICHAEL ANGELO COVINO and KYLE MARVIN and their hilarious new non-rom com rom com, SPLITSVILLE, along with one of my fave filmmakers and the man who I believe helped put Taylor Sheridan on the map as a writer with the fabulous \u201cHell or High Water\u201d, director DAVID MACKENZIE and his new thriller RELAY.<\/p>\n
So let\u2019s kick things off with the comedy stylings of Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin and SPLITSVILLE. One of the beautiful things about their collaboration is that they co-write their films, co-produce their films, and they both act in them, with Michael taking the laboring directorial oar. You should remember Michael and Kyle from their last outing, THE CLIMB, a laugh-out-loud black comedy exploring the \u201cfriendship\u201d of two guys over two decades. THE CLIMB marked Michael\u2019s directorial feature debut and he knocked it out of the park on every level.<\/p>\n
Now the boys are back with one of the most hilarious films you will see all year, SPLITSVILLE. It\u2019s a story of two couples. Ashley and Carey. And Julie and Paul. All best friends. And all with personalities as different as night and day. But while Ashley and Carey are on a road trip, driving down a multi-lane highway, out of the blue and left field Ashley asks Carey for a divorce. Let the hilarity and hijinks begin! Good-natured and kind of wimpy, Carey runs to besties Julie and Paul for support and a place to crash while he figures out what to do. It\u2019s then that he finds out their secret to their happy marriage. It\u2019s an open marriage. Shocked and curious, things take a left turn with Carey crossing the line, resulting in chaotic madness and mayhem for all concerned.<\/p>\n
Directed by Michael Angelo Covino and written by Michael Angelo Covino & Kyle Marvin, SPLITSVILLE stars Kyle and Michael, along with Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Nicholas Braun, David Casta\u00f1eda, and O-T Fagbenle.<\/p>\n
As Michael and Kyle discuss the making of SPLITSVILLE, we take a good look at physical comedy, something that is key to this film, in fact, bookending the film with strong, choreographed comedic fight scenes and a few in-between for good measure. According to Michael and Kyle, physical comedy is a “universal and sort of instantaneous form of entertainment” that they both enjoy performing as much as watching. With SPLITSVILLE, a long, choreographed fight sequence\u2014performed by themselves\u2014was essential to the film. They do all of their own stunts, folks. As they see it, physical comedy brings a unique comedic element that only they, as the characters, could deliver, grounding the humor in the personalities and relationships of the characters rather than just the action itself. This approach allows them to play the scenes seriously, which only enhances the comedic effect.<\/p>\n
From beginning to end, SPLITSVILLE is a collaborative process for the boys. From the inspiration for and crafting of the story and script to their performances to the film\u2019s production elements, everyone is involved. Notable is the part of our conversation about working with cinematographer Adam Newport Berra, whose work you might know from \u201cThe Last Black Man in San Francisco\u201d, and not only developing the film\u2019s visual grammar, but also the decision to shoot on 35mm film. Yes. SPLITSVILLE is shot on 35mm, something very important to Michael as it brings a sense of humanity through its texture, grain, and the “aliveness” it imparts to the images. The imperfections and spontaneity inherent in film add to this human quality, making the movie feel more organic and less sterile than digital. We also dive into editing. This is a film that requires rapier editing in order to not only set the energetic pace, but also hit the comedic beats and emotional beats. This led to editor Sarah Shaw, who also cut \u201cThe Climb\u201d, and assistant editor Emmett Ashton. According to Michael and Kyle, working with Sarah and Emmet was fast and collaborative, emphasizing visual storytelling, which capitalized on some laugh-out-loud hilarity with things like goldfish and CVS receipts. From beginning to end, SPLITSVILLE is filled with humor and heart. Something that stands out for me, however, is the growth in Michael as a director since \u201cThe Climb\u201d and the growth in Michael and Kyle as storytellers. So, take a listen as MICHAEL ANGELO COVINO and KYLE MARVIN talk all things SPLITSVILLE.<\/p>\n
SPLITSVILLE is in select theatres now, expanding nationwide on September 5, 2025.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
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