Debbie and Doug Drop Acid in the Desert

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By Omeleto

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Featuring Maria Bamford, Paul Scheer and the distinctive voice of Larry King, this rollicking, warm-hearted comedy short combines a marriage hitting the doldrums with the sucker-punch of vivid psychedelia, weaving both into a surprisingly insightful journey about love, honesty and authenticity.

Debbie and Doug are a married couple on the verge of a major transition. They’re trying to conceive a baby (with the help of a very frank app) but realize their problem is deeper: the spark in their marriage has gone out.

Looking to boost the passion in their marriage, they decide to venture into the wild, woolly world of therapeutic psychedelics with the help of a “spiritual crisis center” and an alternative therapist named Ariel, played by Bamford with equal parts “purple aura” and corporate aplomb.

The couple then heads out to the Californian desert to trip their way into improving their connection to one another. But when they drop a dose that is much, much stronger than usual, they’re in for a wild ride — one that takes them to deep places in both their marriage and psyches.

Written and directed by Scott Brown with co-writer Zack Gold, this short is as wild and zany as its title promises, tripping between timeframes, dimensions and visions with a surehanded sense of craft and a deft balance of tone. Visually, it’s as exuberant, Californian and colorful as a 60s acid trip, with a polish and sheen that is entirely contemporary, and the first part of the film matches this aesthetic with its pacing and editing, veering from one vision to another to replicate the psychedelic experience.

But underneath the groovy stylings, the writing and storytelling go to genuinely deep and vulnerable places. Of course, there are fantastic one-line zingers and terrific witty banter woven throughout. But the dialogue is anchored to a rich emotional journey, which is slowly but surely woven into the goofiness.

It starts with a hilarious sequence featuring a shining orb of light with the voice of Larry King, who prods the pair to look into their unconfronted fears and anxieties, both with themselves and one another. Soon they’re whisked off to another vision and realize that they both even saw the same divorce attorney, played by a slick, gleefully snarky Paul Scheer.

As Debbie and Doug, actors Angela Gulner and Zack Gold go to genuinely emotional and vulnerable places as they confront their fears and worst imaginings and give voice to them to one another. With this authenticity, it’s hard as viewers not to root for them and invest in their journeys as characters, even as they hit their darkest points of self-loathing and shame. But they soon learn to confront themselves and find their way back to one another — also with the help of a little psychedelic assistance and some far-out visions.

“Debbie and Doug Drop Acid In the Desert” is unabashedly fun, contemporary and entertaining in its wild dive into the world of micro-dosing, but what makes it rare and unique among comedy shorts is its emotional openness and intelligence. Funny, sincere and empathetic, it offers up with a resonant and universal message of acceptance and loving-kindness, both in self and with one another. The destination is ultimately wisdom and self-love, though some will have a little more help — and a woozier, crazier journey — in getting there.

 

Transcript provided by YouTube:

00:05
okay you ready I think so yeah
00:10
I mean yeah I love you love you too hey
00:29
how you doing yeah well I’m totally
00:33
behind on these designs and the client
00:34
is pissed my hormones don’t give a shit
00:36
about your work Doug it’s time already I
00:42
feel like we just did this a week ago my
00:45
app says it’s time so it’s time done
00:59
it’s just like I’ve got a lot on my mind
01:01
right now my fantasy football teams in
01:04
the cellar look I talked to Tony about
01:05
this okay Jesus Christ you talk to Tony
01:07
my best friend
01:09
relax don’t you tell me about this like
01:13
this like really hot thing that people
01:16
are doing called them brave Harding go
01:24
on okay so you know how most guys like
01:29
Braveheart like you like Braveheart
01:31
right of course yeah
01:32
so they turn on the final battle at the
01:34
end and Gustav gets on top of Tonya and
01:37
they start having sex what Gustav
01:39
recites the final monologue and it’s
01:40
like you know masculine and like
01:43
passionate and sweaty and bloody and his
01:45
horses and right at the end right as
01:48
Gustav bellows out they’ll never take
01:50
our freedom they both come and
01:53
apparently it’s never been better
01:56
no there’s no way that that’s a thing
01:59
it’s a thing
02:01
no Gustav and Tonya are perverts and
02:03
possibly have a thing against Jews look
02:06
we have to do something there was no
02:09
fire anymore it’s just smoke and I’m
02:13
choking I know I want to fix it – okay
02:19
I’ll do anything it takes anything
02:25
I don’t see anything do you know and I
02:31
don’t feel anything either I’m gonna
02:34
look up how long this takes no we’re not
02:36
supposed to use our phones today you’re
02:37
always on that day what are you gonna
02:39
check Instagram don’t take me like a
02:41
second yeah right well I’ve got like 17
02:45
texts from Arial and a voicemail
02:47
what hey material I just wanted to be
02:50
sure to get a hold of you and make sure
02:52
that you don’t take that acid it turns
02:55
out our supplier made them way way way
02:58
way way way too strong and if you take
03:01
that you will definitely lose your minds
03:03
and maybe die remember nothing happens
03:06
by mistake except when it does and
03:08
namaste oh my god oh my god what do we
03:12
do do we throw up I’m gonna try and
03:14
throw know we took it like a half an
03:15
hour ago that’s not gonna do anything oh
03:17
god what the fuck I look like an idiot
03:21
daddy why could we have just gone
03:22
wine-tasting or something you said we
03:24
could trust this person
03:25
[Music]
03:28
it’s okay we can trust her we can trust
03:31
her she’s quite obviously trying to push
03:33
narcotics on to us narcotic Eddie it’s
03:35
his LSD on the first pain
03:37
different Pablo Escobar’s in the mansion
03:40
hello hi I hear you I see you I’m done
03:51
I’m Debbie
03:53
you know welcome to the Laurel Canyon
03:57
spiritual crisis center in boba tea
03:59
lounge
04:00
hashtag LCSC see BTL on spiritual Saffy
04:04
my name in the legal realm is Julian
04:07
Magnussen but you can call me Ariel my
04:10
spiritual aura is of course purple if
04:13
you hadn’t noticed and I was just
04:15
invited by the spirit of Patrick Swayze
04:18
to channel his character from the movie
04:21
Roadhouse Oh John Dalton it’s my way or
04:25
the highway so have you had a chance to
04:28
review the course book oh yeah Deb isn’t
04:31
brave out of his comfort I had a friend
04:33
once try acid at a Dave Matthews concert
04:35
and now he’s a shaman in a religion
04:37
where somehow Colonel Sanders is God
04:39
okay boundary look all I’m saying is
04:43
that I’ve seen amazing things happen to
04:45
couples who’ve tried this what is the
04:48
source of your marital troubles oh oh we
04:53
don’t we don’t really know yeah I can
04:55
see your future your connections was I a
04:58
sudden death faster and more horrifying
05:01
than the tony goldwyn bad guy character
05:03
in the movie ghost it if you don’t
05:06
remember the scene Patrick Swayze is
05:08
running after Tony Goldwyn
05:09
he tries to escape through a window a
05:12
shard of glass strikes him right through
05:14
the heart it’s awful
05:15
Patrick you can see him reacting physik
05:18
wincing in that moment so are you too
05:24
busy to save your love from a horrible
05:27
death or do you have a minute
05:29
no I think we have a minute
05:32
we have a minute okay let’s do this I’m
05:37
gonna need two jer-bear bladders at the
05:40
front register along with a liability
05:42
waiver so let’s meditate we want the
05:47
ultimate if you wanna melt sometimes we
05:50
need to pay the ultimate okay just calm
05:57
down okay
05:58
maybe we didn’t even do it right like I
06:00
don’t I don’t feel anything yet do you
06:02
yeah
06:04
nothing okay great all right how about
06:07
you who’s this I don’t know I kind of
06:13
just feel like she’s always been with us
06:17
[Music]
06:19
yeah what the fuck was that are you God
06:23
because if you are I have a few
06:24
questions in several apologies Oh God Oh
06:26
No
06:27
oh dear
06:30
I kind of feel like my skin is made of
06:32
electricity and my teeth are my friend
06:34
over here
07:03
[Music]
07:08
less talking and more feeling
07:13
buckle up kiddos cuz today it’s time for
07:17
you to hear the truth
07:19
the dude we just wanted to see some cool
07:22
colors and stuff then prepare to stand
07:25
in the rainbow of your soul
07:31
is that your friend it’s Chris and we do
07:36
not discuss Chris I asked the question
07:39
you understand
07:40
I see control righteousness and I see
07:44
all just like when ice what you pay oh
07:48
pardon hum premium dog
07:54
hey you said you didn’t know that they
07:59
do algorithmically shut your gaping
08:01
holes of embarrassing stupidity good you
08:05
are so angry sassing me god
08:10
I am mad I’m pissed the fuck off because
08:13
before me I see two people waste
08:18
precious moments of existence asleep
08:24
today you change oh you don’t
08:29
but you sleep No
08:32
[Music]
08:46
is not inhabited by them the battery of
08:50
psychological tests does not ensure our
08:53
attention will be
09:00
and sometimes love is a trip okay we’ve
09:04
got that vodka in the freezer we could
09:05
just drink until we pass no no no we
09:08
gotta see this through okay so we’re
09:10
talking to a giant floating ball that
09:12
sounds like Larry King now it’s time to
09:14
face your fears
09:15
the ones you not only hide from yourself
09:17
from each other this is about pornhub
09:20
we’ve already aired that out Doug you’re
09:22
afraid of never being as successful as
09:25
your friends Marshall has that yacht and
09:28
I know that you love y’all I don’t like
09:29
yachts I like crappy reality television
09:31
that takes place on yachts there’s a
09:33
different way Debbie you’re afraid that
09:36
Doug doesn’t think you’re attractive
09:38
anymore no I know you notice how fucked
09:40
up my t-zone is the fuck is a t-top in
09:43
your putz you are afraid of becoming
09:46
your father I thought you never knew
09:49
your father
09:54
my dad didn’t die what he was just like
09:57
a loser who couldn’t keep down a job he
10:03
was never around this one time he picked
10:08
my sister and I up in his car and he had
10:12
like filled it with toys you know to
10:15
make up for the time like plastic and
10:18
eat up and we went and visited his
10:21
shitty girlfriend and when we came back
10:26
out someone had stolen all the toys
10:31
I was too young to realize what a great
10:33
fucking metaphor that was
10:37
why wouldn’t you tell me about that
10:39
she’s afraid she’ll be a terrible mother
10:42
no no no no baby you would be a great
10:46
mom you’d be the best mom Doug you’re
10:51
afraid your children will see you for
10:52
who you really are and your friends are
10:55
laughing behind your back that you’ll
10:58
never provide for your family and soon
11:02
she will figure all this out and leave
11:06
you Wow
11:08
fucking hate acid you are afraid of
11:13
being alone yeah
11:21
thank you
11:36
[Music]
11:45
[Music]
11:55
we just want you to know that the scars
11:58
in your heart are really beautiful
11:59
yeah and that makes you really beautiful
12:02
and you have great energy teas don’t
12:06
serve bullshit made up by ad execs in
12:07
the 90s
12:08
yeah you look great yeah oh you are like
12:15
the most awesomest person ever you care
12:17
so much about everyone around you and
12:20
you care so much about what they think
12:22
because you really want them to be happy
12:24
because you don’t want to lose him
12:26
because you love them and that makes you
12:29
the most awesomest person your fantasy
12:32
football team is totally gonna crush it
12:34
this week because Odell Beckham jr. is a
12:36
baby we know that it’s hard but love is
12:42
always with you is the happy place
12:44
working
12:45
[Music]
12:53
[Music]
12:59
[Music]
13:18
well maybe we’re summer uh-huh no babe
13:23
no no but now there’s a hole in the wall
13:26
Oh Debbie Doug how are you – good to see
13:31
you again
13:31
I don’t know her wait you know this
13:35
person oh my god we went to the same
13:38
divorce attorney I mean I was intrigued
13:40
by his late-night infomercials I mean he
13:41
says he’s the best in town okay okay I
13:44
know you guys are a little tense so tell
13:48
me what do you think of this candelabra
13:56
it’s fine
13:59
right well check this out Kendall
14:02
apricot pretty cool right
14:09
Kendall abracadabra hmm
14:30
Hey
14:31
don’t quit your day job David Blaine
14:40
yeah you know Debbie you’re right you’re
14:47
never gonna be able to fix your problems
14:48
as long as you’re in a relationship and
14:50
I can see why you think you’re falling
14:52
out of love with him Oh Doug Doug you’re
15:00
right too if you’re falling in love with
15:03
somebody else at least at the respect to
15:05
tell your wife so she can move on well
15:08
my job here is done
15:11
Kendall Abra Cadabra
15:16
shit
15:24
you’re in love with someone else no no I
15:28
had drinks with somebody once you got
15:32
drinks with somebody you don’t even know
15:34
if you love me anymore
15:38
[Music]
15:39
I’ve been asking myself that question
15:41
for a really long time
15:45
why did you see a divorce attorney
15:48
the same fucking reason muted well I
15:51
don’t know Deb maybe it’s time that we
15:52
just admit the inevitable then huh oh
15:54
okay okay you’re just gonna you’re just
15:57
gonna walk away after I supported you
15:59
and your career yeah
16:01
now is your time to walk I’m sorry to be
16:03
such a burden on you you know what why
16:06
don’t you just fucking go okay just
16:07
leave just like your dad did fucking go
16:13
Wow
16:16
okay well that’s what you want
16:23
and I guess it’s over yeah I guess so
16:31
you
16:46
hello hello
16:52
[Music]
17:06
amen
17:08
[Music]
17:13
how’s it going your stupid piece of shit
17:16
am I surprised that you blew it with the
17:19
one woman you could trick into loving
17:21
you you fucking fraud no I’m not cuz we
17:26
both know you’ve been fucking everything
17:28
up your whole meaningless life
17:33
what are you whistling it’s a New
17:35
Orleans funeral jazz
17:38
next boyfriend played it for me
17:41
his name was red yeah he was really into
17:44
Miles Davis and porn you know it’s a
17:46
pattern you know how you’re afraid of
17:48
turning into dad
17:51
you don’t have to worry
17:54
you already are I’m glad she bailed on
17:57
you and she did she’s too good to waste
18:00
the rest of her life with some limp-dick
18:02
father just stop it okay please please
18:06
but I know I’m a piece of shit I get it
18:09
okay but I don’t need you to keep
18:11
reminding me of that
18:12
well that’s too bad buddy because from
18:16
now on it’s just you and me
18:18
fantasy football TV dinners a hollow
18:23
eternity why are you tied up you see
18:27
that light over there
18:29
the 11:20 Greyhound to Bakersfield not a
18:33
lot of people know that the Greyhound
18:35
bus is still run
18:37
video you should leave before it gets
18:40
messy please don’t do this
18:42
there’s no point anymore
18:46
or the daughter of a man who didn’t love
18:48
us and no one has ever gonna love us
18:50
she’s like red she loved Miles Davis but
18:52
didn’t love us
18:55
just like a dog I’m really sorry for
18:58
what I did to us when we were kids I
19:01
made that hate us you know it’s true
19:07
go you can’t change what’s happened it’s
19:11
gonna be over soon
19:14
go
19:18
oh I can’t swim
19:28
I can’t swim either I know that’s
19:31
because we’re just a person dick
19:38
but not today
19:40
today change you three know we know that
19:53
it’s heart love is a gift but love is
20:03
always with you
20:05
[Music]
20:09
[Applause]
20:21
[Music]
20:42
Oh No that surprised me
20:52
yeah thank you why because you’re a part
21:03
of me
21:05
not the part that I’m proud of or the
21:08
part that I want to shout from the
21:09
rooftops
21:10
maybe you’ve been holding me back but
21:13
maybe you’ve been transforming me into
21:16
the person that I need to be and I was
21:19
grateful for you and I was filled with
21:23
love for you
21:24
same did you love yourself what a pussy
21:35
my news messin with you
21:43
[Music]
22:04
[Music]
22:45
I think I love acid this fractured truth
23:04
the climax at the heart of every matter
23:08
stolen from crimes that were perpetrated
23:11
in the backwoods of tomorrow enraptured
23:15
and engrossed and the gossamer minds of
23:18
our champion eternity reflected in the
23:21
darkness beyond the shallow pale of an
23:25
old forgotten tumult
23:29
something far greater than ourselves
23:33
soaked and mercury covered in flame
23:37
ternal an endless and made of glass like
23:42
blunt-force trauma unto the night I
23:46
wanna scream it out so loud that we all
23:49
hear it
23:55
and the ribbons of our ethos
24:00
in the soft convalescence of our dreams
24:03
I feel amazing
24:16
yeah I feel pretty good soon I feel even
24:19
better after I’ve crushed this Green
24:20
Goddess okay I feel like there’s no
24:29
turning back now don’t like that
24:36
hey like the rings that look good on you
24:41
they’re totally right
24:45
I’m always right
24:48
enjoy the rest of your trip
24:56
[Music]
25:27
you

This post was previously published on YouTube and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Photo credit: Screenshot from video

The post Debbie and Doug Drop Acid in the Desert appeared first on The Good Men Project.