An accidental murder comedy that could have been livelier.

I don’t mean to offend anyone, but before my family and I flew to Italy in 2012, I heard two people speaking in Italian. And I said to my grandfather: “This world needs subtitles,” and he laughed hysterically. And these days, I usually would say that if something was muffled or if loud music was overshadowing the dialogue. With all respect.

The title of the new horror comedy “I Don’t Understand You” sums up the fact that the two trailers in the film don’t speak Italian, and they can barely understand the residents. There are time when they’re both given hints, but there are times when they don’t make the right guesses.

“I Don’t Understand You” is also the latest independent feature this year to have its characters trying to cover up accidental death after “The Trouble with Jessica” and “Bad Shabbos.” Those two films were honest and sometimes funny with the right mannerisms, comedic timing, and consistency. And even though “I Don’t Understand You” has the right leads and the right goals, it still plays it a bit too safe.

Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells reunite from “Big Mouth” as Dom and Cole, a wealthy gay LA couple, who travel tom Italy to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Everything is coming up roses for these two, as they’re going to adopt a baby boy courtesy of the pregnant Candice (Amanda Seyfried) and are both hooked up with a special anniversary dinner at a farmhouse and restaurant in the countryside. It looks like it would be the perfect place to get lost, considering that it’s dark outside and they’re in the woods. And just when they think they’re lost, they make it to the restaurant and warmly greeted by the owner Zia Luciana (Nunzia Schiano), who’s serves them some delicious pizza.

When the power goes out and the two men go frantic around the house, Cole accidentally bumps into the old lady, who falls down the stairs. She may be dead, and so he and Dom must move her body. They don’t know if they’re making things worse when they hear her bones break. So, this can be nerve racking.

Then, another death takes place, and another one. One of the reasons is because Dom is threatened with a knife, and the other comes at the worst time for them.

Now that I look at it, I was reflecting on the horror comedy “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” which was about some youngsters dealing with a death that turns into a crazy night with a plot twist that explains everything and what shouldn’t have happened. That film I considered to be funny and risky, and was able to take the genre to new heights. I’m sorry I failed to mention that film when I reviewed “The Trouble with Jessica” or “Bad Shabbos.”

I wanted to like “I Don’t Understand You” because of the chemistry between Kroll and Rannells and its good taste in authentic Italian cooking. I know because I’ve been to Italy before, and I know Kroll and Rannells have already proven themselves to be more than just their characters on “Big Mouth.” Here, they have energy and timing, but the screenplay (written and directed by David Joseph Craig and Brian Crane) doesn’t give them much credit. Some of the jokes require Kroll to get sprayed with mud and how the characters try to explain themselves about the fatal situations. And it all draws too much attention to itself.

This genre has almost always survived the entertainment world and it still can based on what the 2020s have offered us. “Almost always” no thanks to “Very Bad Things” or “Rough Night.” But I would have loved “I Don’t Understand You” to be funnier and riskier than what it wants to be.

In Select Theaters This Friday