I don't believe in recounting plot points, whether they're surprising spoilers or not, in a review, as I believe all movies should be experienced with a fresh set of eyes. However, I highly recommend this movie if you like dark comedies that take risks, and especially if you like comedies centered around workplace frustrations.
Don't Tell Larry opens by introducing us to a few quirky but recognizable office character types. They seem to live in a universe adjacent to characters in films like "Office Space" and the TV show "The Office." Pretty quickly, though, the characters in Don't Tell Larry quickly plunge headlong into a series of situations, getting into deeper trouble because of their own actions and bad decisions, or because some unexpected twist forces them to think quick. Of course, their troubles start with that inciting incident described in the title -- the main character's decision to not tell Larry something that if she had just told him, may have saved herself from a world of trouble. But then, of course, there would be no film.
Similar to how Mike Judge's feature film "Office Space" first reached audiences as short animated films featuring the character of Milton with his recurring line, "OK, but I'm going to set the building on fire," Don't Tell Larry also began as a web series. Co-writer / directors Greg Porper and John Schimke expand upon their original shorts in this much more ambitious film. The stakes have risen exponentially for everyone involved. I admire their ambition. Without giving away anything specific, some other reviewers have commented on how the plot takes unexpected turns that did not work for them. I'd like to offer a counter argument, which is also one of the reasons I enjoyed this movie so much. This movie does not play it safe! Porper and Schimke have taken risks deciding on the situations their characters need to contend with, ratcheting up the stakes into unforeseen and dangerous territory. For me, the test about whether or not an unexpected turn of events in a story "works" is if is both fresh and exciting, while also grounded in the reality of the story's universe and the characters' personalities; is the twist a logical extension of what the characters would do? Considering how many writers play it safe and don't take creative chances, I was pleased not only by where the creative team took this story, but by the fact that it seemed both fresh, surprising, and logical. In other words, by my personal test, the story worked. Not only does the plot serve the story, but the tension created by the characters faced with how to respond to the situations they find themselves in and the unexpected turn of events are the very ingredients needed for comedy. Don't Tell Larry delivers, albeit in very dark comedic fashion.
