Lots of movies come and go, and one that came and went in 2016 to near unanimous critical reception was Don't Think Twice, writer/director Mike Birbiglia's follow-up film to his excellent debut work of 2012's Sleepwalk With Me. I'm unfamiliar with Birbiglia's work on the "This American Life" show but I'm starting to feel like I need to rectify this immediately.

The film focuses on the fictitious improvisational comedy troupe "The Commune," who performs regularly in New York. Birbiglia plays Miles, the group's leader. Rounding out the group are the charismatic Jack (Keegan Michael-Key, Keanu) and his girlfriend Sam (Gillian Jacobs, Community). Allison (Kate Micucci, Garfunkel & Oates) is the artist of the group while Lindsay (Tami Sagher, Knocked Up) may have the most comfortable life of them all, and Bill (Chris Gethard, The Dictator) who is starting to question whether comedy is something he still wants to do. When a talent representative for a Saturday Night Live-esque sketch comedy comes to check out the group and evaluate them for subsequent auditions, fractures grow between, and ultimately shatter, the group.

It's verbose at this point to adore a film's authenticity, but when it comes to The Commune, Birbiglia got the troupe down pat in every aspect you could anticipate (the quick cuts to what each member did as far as day jobs go was succinct and somehow effecting). With the nature of improvisation being both cumulative and collaborative, seeing the ensemble work as seamlessly as they do onstage with audience suggestions is wonderful to behold. And rather than focus exclusively on the opportunity and having the performers work towards that for 90 minutes, Birbiglia examines the subsequent success of those that do manage to land the show, that downside, and the nature of still trying to work with his friends despite their reticence and the changing demands of the audience.

Each of the actors gets a chance to shine, but Jacobs' performance is the best of them, and possibly one of the best of 2016. Sam enjoys the show and enjoys Jack, and she makes decisions that impact both for her. Her moment in the third act is one of the most touching, because she has grown to accept those impacts, and she delivers this realization tenderly. Key's work opposite her is up to the task as well, but moreover serves as a subtle cautionary tale to those future comedians looking for a slot on SNL. You strive to make it and if you do, your friends may hate you and your new fans want to see that thing you do well. And that doesn't even count the 125 hour work week! Whether Birbiglia auditioned at one point or not I don't know, but Miles' old feelings about being rejected for the show rear their heads in the film. That among a myriad of reasons, make his character engaging.

It was fun and heartbreaking sometimes simultaneously, to see The Commune as the whiff of fame shattered what was a fine comedy troupe. Don't Think Twice shows us this while maintaining some comedic sensibility to boot, and includes some refreshing and in a couple of cases, surprisingly effective performances. It's a soft-spoken production and story but one that absolutely warrants attention.

Universal presents Don't Think Twice with an AVC-encoded 2.40:1 widescreen presentation and the results are fine. Black levels in the theater or in the New York streets are natural, colors are reproduced faithfully and flesh tones are natural, all without notable saturation or blocking issues. Image detail is left a little bereft but considering the production values I wasn't expecting to be wowed. Overall it's a fine looking disc.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless surround doesn't have much to do, but works just fine. Dialogue is well-balanced throughout, though there is a hint of adjustment near the end of the film during Sam's moment. The faux-SNL music sounds clear and brassy coming through TV speakers or generally watched in other medium. The subwoofer doesn't get a lot to do and channel panning is a little wanting, but the crowd noise during the improv sequences is natural and immersive. Solid listening material.

The deleted scenes (2:56) aren't much to experience, but then "The Creative Team" (5:09) examines the inspiration for the film and getting Birbiglia to make it. "The Art of Improv" (3:09) has the cast talking about…improv, and "The Commune" (6:43) looks at the cast and the characters they play.

With Don't Think Twice, we get a group of people you can't help but enjoy. The presence of a protagonist is glancing and doesn't give you a lot to be upset about, because the conflict is inevitable, and everyone in The Commune notices it. Jacobs' performance is worth checking out in and of itself, and the film proves that not only was his first film no fluke, but Birbiglia is becoming an accomplished auteur in front of everyone and with good reason. The disc technically is OK, though I would have liked to have had a commentary by the troupe for the bonus materials. Still, it's one of the best films of 2016 for a reason.