Slamdance Film Festival 2026 Review: “Danny Is My Boyfriend”

By Morgan Roberts

Directors: Lucy Sandler & Mechi Lakatos
Stars: Mechi Lakatos, Lucy Sandler, Michelle Thompson, Kate Heffernan, Rachel Brunner, Brooke Smith, Eli Powers, Maleah Goldberg, David Brown, Matilda Paulin
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2026

Danny is her boyfriend. And also *her* boyfriend. After discovering they are both dating the same person, Lucy (Lucy Sandler) and Mechi (Mechi Lakatos) embark on a wild series of schemes to get even with the two-timing Danny. “Danny Is My Boyfriend,” directed by Lakatos and Sandler, boasts a cacophony of misadventures, outrageous ploys, and culminating a corybantic ending.

When Mechi and Lucy learn they are dating the same man, instead of a measured revenge plot, the two women clumsily move from one misguided attempt for revenge/reconciliation after another. There are times the pair work together to craft their plan, but largely, they are both separately confronting their own feelings of betrayal - and at times, exceptionalism - with the partner they once thought they knew.

The film has a frenetic energy, never slowing down as each plan begins to unravel, and a new ploy unfolds. The film’s dialogue is completely improvised - something I, as a mumblecore defender, find refreshing in film. It is this “yes-and” improvisation that keeps the film not only paced impeccably, but keeps audiences on their toes as to what could happen next. Lucy and Mechi are not alone throughout the film. We also see Lucy’s family and their enmeshed, messy dynamics. Lucy’s mother is played by veteran actor Brooke Smith, and it is an utter delight to see her in a role and film such as this. When the film has the actors playing off of one another, we truly get moments of gold. My favorite endeavor in the film is when there is a ruse to audition a bunch of actors to hire them to attempt to seduce Danny. It sounds preposterous, yes, but this is the comedic genius of this film.

“Danny Is My Boyfriend” also gets to the core of what makes films like this so special. There is an earnestness that permeates the film. While we may be adults having to confront those who have wounded us and also carry on with our Costco trip, we are also the sum of all the women and girls we used to be. As a van full of women scream sang “Breakaway,” I couldn’t help but marvel at this moment. It was one of the purest, most freeing moments in cinema I have seen all year. Sure, it is hilarious to see a group freestyle pitch, and key, and sometimes lyrics. But it was also the moment peppered between outlandish misadventures, felt so honest. I personally love a film that can not only have a good time, but ultimately wears its heart on its sleeve, even if just for a moment.

The film is a rollercoaster ride, but if you hop onto the wavelength of “Danny Is My Boyfriend,” you are sure to enjoy every surprising twist and turn. As well as the three-legged dog, Paul Wall. “Danny Is My Boyfriend” is a refreshing and hilarious comedy, that is equal parts whip smart and silly billy antics.

Grade: A
Pair This Film With: “Stress Positions” (2024) dir. Theda Hammel