FANTASIA 2026: ‘Big Break’ Ends Up An Uneven Horror Comedy

Horror comedies are tricky beasts. They need the right kind of balance, and in the realm of comedy, that can be difficult depending on the kind of humor deployed amidst the horror. For the sketch comedy group, Simple Town, their feature film debut, Big Break, swings in with the trademark cringe humor they’ve come to be known for. Unfortunately, a lack of tonal balance and misfired jokes make this admittedly intriguing take on what it takes to make it big an uneven barrel of laughs.

Directed by Ian Faria and written by Samuel Lanier, Big Break sets its slasher-thriller tone from the jump as the camera follows a fleeing victim through the woods. Just as things are ramping up, the focus shifts to our trio of struggling comedians getting ready to visit their friend, Sam (Lanier), who has made it big in Hollywood. 

There’s Felipe (Felipe Di Poi Tamargo), who lives an okay life but isn’t quite living the big Hollywood dream he’s wanted, Caroline (Caroline Yost) is living out of her car while working as a tutor, and Will (Will Niedmann) is a lovable, kind of himbo coded guy who also has dreams of grandeur and believes himself to be a better people person than he thinks. Their goal is to convince Sam to give them roles in his next feature film. The catch is that there is a killer on the loose who may just murder their dreams and, well, them. 

The balance between horror and comedy isn’t quite met, making for an uneven viewing experience.

There’s a meta edge to the story, with the Simple Town crew involved behind and in front of the camera, playing heightened versions of themselves. The scenario also builds on the sketches Simple Town likes to construct, taking a situation and pushing it to its absurdist extreme. This absurdity works quite well two-thirds of the way into Big Break, when the group splits off, and we see the drastic differences in what each group wants (a job versus keeping someone dead).

However, these tonal differences create pacing and direction issues, causing the film to lose steam before the shoe finally drops. Punctuated by music stings signaling that something is amiss, the drastic shift between the thriller side of the story’s plot and back to the normal worries of the trio at first works to illustrate the differences between the two groups and the ridiculousness of the scenario. However, the more the perspectives shift back and forth, musical stings and dramatically tinged blue lighting intact, it loses itself in the process. 

The humor at times can be subtle, almost deadpan, which, ideally, should exaggerate the ridiculousness of the things happening or being said, but, at times, doesn’t always land in Big Break. Coupled with the tonal imbalances between the comedy and slasher thrills, it might have been better to lean entirely in one genre over the other for consistency. However, when the crew leans into the cringe, oh boy, do you want to slide into your seat and hide with positive embarrassment. 

When the comedy leans into the cringe, Big Break really shines.

There are a great many moments that are extraordinarily cringey as the trio tries a variety of approaches to convince Sam to give them what they want, and it is incredibly effective. The trio is shameless in trying to get a job, an entirely relatable feeling in this economy, and Niedmann, in particular, is unapologetically hilarious in how blatant and shameless his approach is once the alcohol kicks into high gear.

What makes the cringe even better is the chemistry between the castmates. Their friendship and history show in how they interact with each other onscreen. As Caroline, Felipe, and Will vie for Sam’s attention, the jokes take on more of an edge, and desperation for their titular “big break” paves the way for inevitable murderous intent. Once the latter starts infiltrating the group, the transition from comedy to a full-blown slasher thriller kicks in, and things get more serious.

With an intriguing premise about friendship and whether it can survive when faced with an opportunity for success and comfort, Big Break does have a fair amount going for it. Caroline, Felipe, and Will play their characters with the right levels of desperation and earnestness that make it fun to watch. The chemistry between the cast is great, and when the humor works, it really works. Had there been a better balance between the comedy and horror, Big Break might have been stronger for it. Unfortunately, it ends up as an uneven watch overall.

Big Break had its world premiere at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.