‘Sacramento’: Warm Comedy Hits the Road To Repair Fractured Relationships

Sandra Miska

Michael Angarano’s indie road trip comedy “Sacramento” warmly explores adult issues, particularly those relating to men in their late thirties. Angarano directs and co-stars is this film that follows two childhood friends, failure-to-launch Rickey (Angarano) and family man Glenn (Michael Cera) as they take an impromptu trip from Los Angeles to — you guessed it — California’s capital city, Sacramento, and there are more than a few bumps along the way.

“Sacramento” lets us know right away that Rickey is a bit of an eccentric, as we first meet him sunbathing in the nude by a lake. He catches the attention of fellow solo traveler Tallie (Angarano’s real life-wife Maya Erskine), and the pair have a sweet little meet-cute, although she senses that he is not a serious guy. Fast forward to a year later, Rickey, presumably single, is getting kicked out of the grief support group he joined following the death of his father for overstaying his welcome. Glenn, meanwhile, nervously prepares for the birth of his first child with his wife Rosie (Kristen Stewart, who is efficient in a one-note role). Glenn is on the verge of losing his job, but seems comfortable with the plan that he and Rosie agreed upon, that he will care for the baby for a year while she works. However, being at peace with a hypothetical situation is different than being hit with a cold reality, as we come to find out.

The story kicks into gear after Rickey shows up unexpectedly at Glenn’s house. Glenn’s initial instinct is to hide, as he has been trying to phase out his old pal, as he perceives him as immature. But after some nudging from Rosie, he agrees to go to lunch, which turns into a road trip. Rickey convinces Glenn to come along by saying he is scattering his father’s ashes in Sacramento, but the audience learns that this is a lie when he fills a tennis ball canister with dirt as soon as Rickey’s back is turned. Glenn and the viewer do not learn his real motive until the pair are stuck in Sactown after multiple mishaps. 

“Sacramento” can easily be compared to “A Real Pain,” a weightier travel dramedy also directed by and co-starring an established actor (Jesse Eisenberg). The dynamic between Glenn and Rickey is similar to that of Elsenberg and Culkin’s characters, not just because they grew up together and grew apart, but also because the character who is supposed to be the voice of reason is revealed to be the one ridden with anxiety. While “Sacramento” is an overall lighter film, it goes far when it comes to pushing Glenn to his emotional limit. In his normal environment, he is able to mask his issues, but being pushed way out of his comfort zone by his friend threatens his sanity, which leads to a shocking chase scene in the third act.

Angarano has a fun chemistry with Cera and his other castmates, but what he does best here is highlight how hard it can be for a lot of men to make and maintain friendships after a certain age. A funny subplot involves Glenn trying to reconnect with an old college roommate he has not seen in years just to prove that Rickey is not his only friend. And just like in “A Real Pain,” a major takeaway in “Sacramento” is that one does not need to fully understand a friend or loved one in order to support them, just showing up and listening goes a long way. 

“Sacramento” releases April 11 in select theaters.