Film

The Argument

Name: The Argument
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2020
Cast: Dan Fogler, Emma Bell, Maggie Q, Danny Pudi, Tyler James Williams

A couple's heated argument at a dinner party becomes an obsessive loop. Their guests keep reliving the same night, tweaking variables, hunting for truth in the wreckage of a single evening. It's a lightweight riff on groundhog-day logic applied to relationship blame, with more goodwill than craft—charming when it lands, slight when it doesn't.

TMDb rating

2.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy tight, dialogue-driven comedies where a single evening's bickering snowballs into something sharp and absurd, and you like watching a cast of familiar faces dig into a funny, escalating mess.

Skip it if you want a plot that moves outward into big set pieces or new locations, since almost all of it unfolds in one house and its talk can feel repetitive to anyone who needs constant forward motion.

What it asks of you: It runs about eighty minutes and stays in one space, so it asks you to listen closely, keep track of who said what, and enjoy the cumulative build rather than expect large surprises.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Groundhog Day1993

The blueprint: a man trapped in repetition, forced to examine himself. Murray's performance finds absurdity and grace in the same moment, and the film knows that loops aren't really about time—they're about learning to be better.

But It's been endlessly imitated and quoted. If you're seeking novelty, you've seen the shape before, even if the genius still holds.

Another Round2020

Four men test a theory about low-level intoxication improving life. Like The Argument, it's an ensemble grappling with whether a simple rule can explain human mess—except this film has real depth, warmth, and a conclusion that lands like a punch.

But It's Danish, subtitled, and the tone shifts in ways that may feel uneven if you're expecting consistency. The final act is devastating rather than neat.

The Dinner Party2023

Five guests arrive for an evening that peels back social facades layer by layer. Sharp writing, genuine tension, characters who surprise you—proof that a confined setting and a group dynamic can create real stakes.

But It's slower and far more unsettling than comedic. If you want laughs, this will disappoint. It's psychological rather than fun.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Argument

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?2018

The Argument loops through the same argument trying to reach understanding. Rogers spent his life modeling something similar: the idea that if you slow down, listen, and genuinely try to see another person, connection becomes possible. It's the opposite of a couple stuck—it's a man who spent decades unstuck.

A documentary about Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. It's about a man who built a show premised entirely on the belief that people—especially children—are worth infinite patience and individual understanding. Quiet, profound, moving without manipulation.

But It's a documentary, not narrative drama. If you want escape rather than reflection, or if earnestness makes you uncomfortable, this will feel sentimental rather than soothing.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World2012

Steve Carell and Keira Knightley navigate the last weeks before impact. It's funny and sad in the same breath, more interested in why people matter than in plot, and it trusts the audience to sit with sadness.

But Tonal whiplash: it swings between indie quirk and genuine existential dread. Neither tone wins entirely, and some will find that frustrating rather than moving.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World poster

The Invitation2016

A dinner party with a history, and guests who don't know why they're really there. Masterclass in building dread through small talk. Every glance matters. Economical and merciless.

But It's slow-burn and deliberately uncomfortable. There's almost no action for an hour. If you need things to happen fast, this will test your patience.

Happy Death Day2017

A college student relives her murder-day, Groundhog Day style, until she stops the killer. Smarter than it has to be, genuinely funny, and knows exactly how long to stay before overstaying.

But It's a slasher-comedy hybrid. Tonal shifts between gore and jokes won't work for everyone, and the mystery itself is fairly standard.

Before Sunset2004

Two people who once loved each other walk through Paris, talking. That's it. Linklater's film is 80 minutes of human connection so honest it feels like eavesdropping. It asks what we owe to people we used to be with.

But Nothing happens. No plot, no arc—just conversation. If you need external drama, this is a film about the opposite of that.

Catastrophe2015

Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney as a couple derailing each other spectacularly. Sharp, filthy, and genuinely tender. Season one especially: chaos structured into something real. Comedy that trusts you.

But Heavy accents and Irish/American humor can feel insular. It also gets darker than people expect—grief and anger, not just laughs.

Russian Doll2019

Nadia keeps dying and waking up on her birthday. Like Groundhog Day filtered through rage, grief, and queerness. Natasha Lyonne is hypnotic, and the show actually says something about suffering and connection.

But First season is tighter; second season gets philosophy-heavy and loses momentum. The show also demands emotional investment—cynicism will leave you cold.

The Lobster2015

Both films use premise as philosophy. The Lobster asks: what does society demand of coupling, and at what cost? The Argument asks: how much effort should we spend on one fight? Both trap characters in systems (time loops, state mandate) and watch what that does to their humanity.

In a dystopia, single people have 45 days to find romantic partners or become animals. Yorgos Lanthimos films this in deadpan absurdism. It's grotesque, funny, deeply strange, and absolutely committed to its logic. Unforgettable.

But It's surreal and deeply bleak. The humor is dry to the point of evasiveness. If you're watching because you want warmth, you've picked the wrong film—it's about the violence of coupling, not its joy.