On The Count Of Three Trailer: A Very Dark Buddy Comedy Turns Heartfelt Hope Vehicle

TRIGGER WARNING: This trailer contains subject matter related to mental health and suicide. If you or a loved one is in crisis, please reach out to National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or the Crisis Text Line (Text TALK to 741741) to talk to someone who can help.

Living to see another day indeed. Over a year after being acquired by Annapurna Pictures hot off a rave run at Sundance 2021, "On the Count of Three" now has an official trailer and a release date.

The film's trailer stars Christopher Abbott and comedian Jerrod Carmichael as two best friends who make a pact to kill themselves at the end of the day. The film appears to follow the guys as they tie up loose ends ahead of their last suicide attempts and get a little crazy during what they consider to be their last day on Earth. The sneak peek also shows footage of costars Tiffany Haddish, Henry Winkler, and JB Smooth.

It seems like this film is going to be a really heartfelt and emotional journey, but with Carmichael's signature style of humor and Abbott's brash yet charming sense of self. Interestingly enough, the trailer goes from being pretty dark — even featuring Papa Roach to start things off — to hopeful and poignant with an uplifting country soundtrack amid shots of the guys seemingly enacting some kind of revenge plot on Winkler's character. It's strange enough to warrant a lot of interest, so color me interested.

In January 2021, Carmichael's directorial debut screened at Sundance and received rave reviews. The film's writers, Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch, went on to win the Waldo Salt Screenwriting award. /Film's Ethan Anderton reviewed the film at the time and he noted:

"Carmichael brings an energy to the camera that feels like a more subdued version of a Safdie Brothers film (which still makes for quite a frenzy)... While these misadventures could have easily resulted in a more chaotic sort of indie that loses focus, they've kept the attention squarely on the characters and each part of this wild day serves their arc in some kind of meaningful way. Somehow, this movie makes light out of total darkness without losing any of the heaviness that comes with it. If Carmichael can do something so bold in his directorial debut, I'm very much looking forward to what he does next."

The film will be released via Annapurna's distribution deal with MGM's Orion Pictures through United Artists Releasing. "On the Count of Three" will arrive in theaters and on demand on May 13, 2022.