Armağan Ballantyne’s “Nude Tuesday” stars Jackie Van Beek (“The Breaker Uppers,” 2018) and Damon Herriman (“The Nightingale,” 2018) as a couple in a disintegrating marriage. On their anniversary, they are advised to hit the road and head to an unconventional couples’ retreat. Headed by the pretentious Bjorg (Jemaine Clement; “What We Do in the Shadows,” 2014), the retreat takes them on a rocky road through self-discovery, anger, mushrooms, and—as is hinted in the title—a startlingly naked Tuesday.

It’s also a film entirely in gibberish—to the point it’s introduced literally in the made-up language, with the title dubbed “Nøkęn Tīsdøg.” The movie takes itself very seriously—no winking at the audience—and doesn’t break character for a single second, whether in the dialogue or in the eccentricity of its characters. If “Gentlemen Broncos” was jointly made by Wes Anderson and pre-MCU Taika Waititi, and “Nude Tuesday” is precisely the movie you’d get.

Something this—for the lack of a better term—outta pocket shouldn’t work, and yet, it does. The sincerely sweet performances of Van Beek (who also co-wrote this film) and Herriman, combined with the bang-on comedic timing of every scene, make for a laugh-out-loud experience. Part of this could be the gibberish, which makes even the crassest interactions seem uncannily wholesome. Still, it’s important to note that it wouldn’t have made up for any flaws if treated as a mere party trick.

At the center of the film’s chaos is Bjorg, played to perfection by the ever dependable and charismatic Clement. His deadpan portrayal of a character equal parts obnoxious and pretentious is a scene-stealer. You will belly laugh at his caricature of The Pompous Spiritual Sex Guru^TM, with the caveat that it’s the very quality that will make you cringe in perennial discomfort. 

Among other essential actors here are Yvette Parsons (“The Power Of The Dog,” 2021), Chris Bunton (“Relic,” 2020), and Ian Zaro (ABC Australia’s “Black Comedy,” 2014-2020) in roles of various lengths. Zaro, specifically, has a surprisingly empathetic arc for his character Rufus, whom he plays with perfection. Bunton and Parsons are super sweet and funny, usually reciting lines translated to absolutely outrageous things with a straight face.

The biggest star of “Nude Tuesday,” however, is Julia Davis, the movie’s subtitle writer. I have no idea how she could keep a straight face transcribing a 90-odd-minute film as insane as this.

It’s not for everyone, but if you’re a fan of Wes Anderson and early Waititi, you’ll adore “Nude Tuesday.” Filled with sincere quirk and themes of self-discovery, the film works primarily because of its director, the cast, and the incredible soundtrack and photography of Cam Ballantyne and Andrew Commis, respectively. The result is a sweet—if relentlessly crass—sex comedy that fires on all cylinders and… somehow succeeds with everything. Highly recommended.

A separately abridged review of “Nude Tuesday” was published as part of the Tribeca ’22 coverage in The Black CAPE Mag.