In the comedy movie 'Sacramento', Michael Angarano crafts a compelling account of two vastly different friends embarking on a wild road trip from Los Angeles to the capital city of California. In this adventure dotted with engaging encounters, the men are pushed to decipher the complexities of their long-term friendship and face their anxieties about the future.
Ricky, played by Angarano, is a quirky nature enthusiast with dreams of becoming a counselor while Michael Cera's Glenn is a nervous corporate worker comfortably settled with his wife. As children, they bonded over a near-drowning incident during a swimming class, but the relationship has grown complex over the years. Glenn has been distancing himself from Ricky, barely keeping in touch and not even sharing his imminent fatherhood news. Despite these differences, what ties them together is a shared history and mutual feelings of apprehension about the future.
The film provides snapshots of Glenn's struggles with intense anxiety and irrational anger, illustrated through episodes like his frustration with an annoyingly squeaky crib. Ricky, on the other hand, is a more erratic character who dreams big but lacks commitment. He tries to persuade Glenn to join his road trip by claiming it was his late father's last wish to scatter his ashes in Sacramento.
A series of chaotic incidents unfold as they head towards Sacramento. These episodes reveal the depth of their relationship and bring to light their shared angst about adulthood. The interactions include a random encounter with two women, an impounded car, and deep conversations about life and their dynamic.
'Sacramento', at its core, is about recognizing and acknowledging the sensitive revelations that emerge from nostalgia and discussions about growing old. The film, however, underplays these moments, replacing them with repetitive comedic episodes, limiting the depth that could have been otherwise realized by focusing on the complicated relationship between Glenn and Ricky.
