Back for the first time since quitting comedy in 2015, Bo Burnham has blown the world away with his latest special Inside. Inside is a self-made comedy special filmed over the course of the 2020 lockdown. It starts out lighthearted with the silly songs and jokes we’ve all learned to love, but as the world progresses into quarantine, we watch Burnham slowly deteriorate into a deep depression. What began as a fun way to reintroduce himself to the world, eventually became endless work that weighed him down. So what’s so special about it then? The answer to that is what makes everything he does so great: it was made by Bo Burnham. From something as basic as the comedy to the complexity of the cinematography and deeper meanings, Burnham never fails to make his projects an absolute masterpiece.
Obviously a comedy special is going to be funny, so what makes this one stand out from all the others? Bo Burnham is known for his unique comedy and delivery, but the topical themes of the special are what made it really stand out. Being one of the first comedians to touch on COVID at the time, Burnham managed to find the humor in the situation the world was in and executed his jokes in a clever, original way. He also manages to touch on more serious subjects like racial and equity issues without being distasteful; something not every comedian has been successful at. In addition to this dark humor, Burnham still manages to include more fun, lighthearted jokes and songs so as not to dampen the whole experience.
What makes Inside so beautiful is watching Burnham’s slow descent into a depressive state; something all viewers could relate to during the time in quarantine. As the film progresses, Bo starts out as a happy, hopeful person excited for his reemergence into the world of comedy, but turns into a deeply depressed, regretful shell of a man just waiting for an end to this project he started. As he falls deeper and deeper into depression, his work becomes more poetic. What had once been a silly, happy special for all, spirals into a true work of art that will leave the viewer in tears. A huge factor of what makes the film so great is Burnham’s normalization of mental health struggles. Publicly speaking on depression and showing how it affects him is a refreshing sight for the audience, making them feel seen and understood.
Lastly, and quite possibly the film’s most impressive quality, is the cinematography. In simple scenes, Burnham manages to brilliantly capture the mood with expert lighting and changes in the camera angle. A strong example of this is in How the World Works, a duet sung with Burnham and a sock puppet, Socko. The song has a dark humor to it, touching on the many injustices and prejudices in the American education system, among other things. The scene is set with Burnham sitting at first alone at his keyboard, a spotlight shining on him. The rest of the room is lit up in a deep orange. While the color at first is cheery to the viewer’s eye, as the song begins to darken, the choice in color is clear to be more threatening.
Another great example is in All Time Low, a scene where Burnham tells us his mental health has reached its ATL. The camera is pointed at the blinds as Burnham’s monologue begins. As he continues talking, the frame slowly fades to another shot of him sitting anxiously on a stool in a dark room, only the sun through the shades lighting the room. Before you realize it, the camera angle changes and you are suddenly looking at a close-up of Burnhams with an almost manic look on his face in a bright, colorful room, while he cheerfully sings about his rapidly declining state. The change in mood is so sudden, it’s almost startling to watch. When the brief song finishes, the viewer is returned back to that dark, anxiety-filled room, just as swiftly as we had left it. Inside is a beautifully directed, true piece of art that everyone should have the experience of watching. If you watch it, you won’t regret it.
MOOSE PRINTS 
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