Kill Me | SXSW 2026 Film Review

Kill Me is a dark comedy mystery that asks one simple yet very complicated question: Who tried to kill me and make it look like a suicide? Charlie Day plays Jimmy, a man who wakes up in a bathtub with his wrists slit and no memory of how it happened. Convinced he didn’t try to kill himself, he teams up with a 911 operator played by Allison Williams to track down the would-be killer. The problem? The suspect list is long, and Jimmy is at the very top of it.

Charlie Day dives deeper than I think I have ever seen him go as an actor, capitalizing on his assured comedy chops while redefining his dramatic ones. No one is ever poking fun and mental illness, even amidst the hilarity, especially Day. There are moments of heightened realization that appear throughout the film which require Jimmy to wrestle with the very notion that he might have inflicted this pain upon himself, whether he remembers it or not. It is in these flashes of brief awareness that the undercurrent of Day’s performance shines through.

Allison Williams delivers an admirable outsider’s perspective, almost as though she were the audience observing from the seats as she’s treated to a front row of Jimmy’s fluctuating psyche. As Margot, the 911 operator who took Jimmy’s call, Margot is both terrified of and desperate to help Jimmy. Williams delivers a resolute, assured, and even at times timid performance that allows Margot to breathe as a character. Together, they are a strong combination of chemistry.

The supporting cast also adds depth to Jimmy’s struggles, as well as increases the suspect list of who might want him dead, as the majority of them have been traumatized themselves due to Jimmy’s depression woes. Giancarlo Esposito, in particular, stands out as his presence immediately affords weight to every scene he enters. Esposito plays Dr. Singer, Jimmy’s therapist, someone who understands the seriousness of the situation even as Jimmy refuses to confront it himself. As expected, Esposito delivers a measured and commanding performance that subtly anchors the film whenever it threatens to spiral too far into cheeky humor.

The story could be a trigger for some, as it dabbles in both suicide and a lack of belief in those suffering from mental illness. What makes the film stand out is how director Peter Warren uses the mystery to explore depression from multiple angles. It does not simply focus on Jimmy’s internal plight, but also the ripple effect it has on the people around him: family, friends, and those trying to help. Kill Me is an admirable effort to confront the subject honestly, while still delivering a twisty, darkly funny whodunit.