I Don’t Understand You on Hulu: An Uneven Black Comedy About a Gay Couple in Italy

I Don’t Understand You is streaming on Hulu, a dark comedy about Dom and Cole, a long‑term gay couple whose dream of adopting a child collides with a chaotic vacation in Italy.

Directed and written by David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano, the film stitches together culture‑clash humor, a road‑trip premise, and an adoption drama that becomes a thriller. Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells play Dom and Cole with a believable, lived‑in chemistry, while Amanda Seyfried portrays Candice, the expectant mother whose decision sets the plot in motion.

From the start, the movie zeros in on the awkward process of presenting themselves as prospective parents to Candice, including a prior failed adoption that left a half‑packed home full of baby gear and a sense that time is running out.

As the trip, which doubles as their tenth anniversary vacation, unfolds in Misunderstanding City, communication becomes a running joke and a pressure cooker. A hotel stay tests their patience as they try to explain that they are a same‑sex couple, a road trip yields wrong turns and a rainstorm cutting off cell service, and a gruff local with limited English complicates every encounter.

At night they reach a remote restaurant run by an older woman whose hospitality is warm but whose language is not. The meal features unfamiliar dishes including horse meat, which complicates Cole’s vegetarian preference. The mood shifts quickly as danger encroaches and bodies begin to appear, pushing the couple toward decisions they never expected to face.

Critics have noted that the movie resembles a hybrid of Bros and The Talented Mr. Ripley, with a stripped‑down Coen Brothers vibe in some scenes. That tonal mix is the film’s defining trait and also its major weakness, as it veers from broad, character‑driven comedy to suspenseful horror without delivering a clear through line.

Performance remains a strong suit. The central pair’s chemistry is evident in their back‑and‑forth banter and shared glances, even when the screenplay doesn’t fully leverage it. The script has witty, quotable lines at moments and several set pieces land more cleanly than others.

Overall, the film uses the premise of parental anxiety to propel the mazelike misadventures, but its ambitions feel scattered. Viewers who appreciate the leads’ rapport and the occasional sharp joke may find it watchable; others may find the constant tonal shifts unsatisfying. The result is a polarizing blend that leans toward skip for many audiences.

Availability: I Don’t Understand You is currently streaming on Hulu, placing it in the middle tier of culture and entertainment releases for the year.