“I Don’t Understand you,” co-written and directed by Brian Crano and David Joseph Craig, opens with a touching scene that immediately draws viewers in. The film introduces Dom and Cole (Nick Kroll and andrew Rannells), a gay couple with the means and desire to adopt a child. The opening scene depicts them recording an appeal video to potential mothers, highlighting their eagerness to become parents. The scene captures the delicate balance they attempt to strike: appearing genuine without seeming desperate, charming without being off-putting. The witty banter between takes reveals their underlying anxieties about the adoption process.

The film then explores the challenges faced by loving adults who wish to start a family. “I Don’t Understand You” takes a darkly humorous turn as Dom and Cole embark on an anniversary trip to Italy,were they encounter a series of unfortunate events reminiscent of a Patricia Highsmith novel.

Shortly after arriving in Rome,Dom and Cole receive promising news: a pregnant woman named Candace (Amanda Seyfried, appearing via video chat) is moved by their story and believes they would be ideal parents for her child. This news brings cautious optimism, but it is tempered by the couple’s existing anxieties. As gay men, they are hyper-aware of potential microaggressions. As tourists unfamiliar with the language, they are uneasy navigating the unfamiliar Italian countryside at night.

Their fears escalate when their rental car becomes stranded on a private road leading to a secluded farmhouse, where they have reservations for their anniversary dinner. Panic sets in as a surly, armed local appears, reinforcing their sense of impending doom. Though, the true nature of the danger is not what they expect. They eventually reach the home of Francesca (Eleonora Romandini), a retired restaurateur who eagerly welcomes them with a celebratory meal.

Subtitles reveal Francesca’s friendly intentions, which the nervous Dom and Cole misinterpret.The situation intensifies with the arrival of francesca’s imposing son, Massimo (morgan Spector), who brandishes a knife in a way that heightens their fears. The evening devolves into a bloody farce fueled by misjudgment and paranoia. Despite the cast’s strong performances, particularly Kroll and Rannells’ portrayal of a loving and vulnerable couple, “I Don’t Understand You” only manages to be sporadically funny.

The writer-directors, who are a couple in real life and have adopted a child, offer a heightened, autobiographical glimpse into the anxieties of impending parenthood. The filmmakers’ decision to transform their experiences into a horror-comedy, rather than a serious social commentary, is commendable. (Amanda Knox is also credited as a co-producer, adding another layer to the film’s exploration of justice and misinterpretation.)

While the film’s opening promises a compelling narrative, “I Don’t Understand You” ultimately falls short of it’s potential. Although likable, the film’s shift into violent humor proves challenging for Crano and Craig to effectively blend with its themes of perception and privilege.