I Smile Back

I came into watching 'I Smile Back' having recently come out of a relationship with a woman suffering from severe depression, both having younger children from previous relationships. I was aware of her depression right from the start and it wasn't an issue as it never manifested, up until the last 5-6 months that is. For the 85 minutes this film played, it was like I was watching my life played out by Josh Charles and my partners by Sarah Silverman. Almost perfectly Adam Salky's adaptation of Amy Koppelman's semi-biographical novel highlights and encapsulates the rigors and devastation depression can have on someone's life and the loved ones around them.

As the film goes on and you are rooting for Silverman's character to get it together, get healthy, and be happy; the most common questions that keep reoccurring (as in my own experience) are how much is depression to blame for the erratic behavior, the self-destruction, the poor life choices, the hurting of others? Where does the depression end and the person begin? What should be forgiven and what cannot be? Coming from a position of clear bias and sympathy for the husband, I 100% related to being in that position that he is doing everything he can to help her, he clearly loves her and wants his family to be happy together. Often, love and good intentions are not enough in these scenarios, and decisions need to be made about whether to keep fighting in the hope things get better or to let it go so it doesn't destroy everyone. 'I Smile Back' really balances these questions so there's no clear right answers.

I was a little wary initially of Sarah Silverman being in the title role. Even with her previous serious roles I still felt that in your face, over-the-top personality wanting to burst out. Not in this. She nails it, and really makes you feel every emotional high and low. Unlucky not to be recognized by the Academy this year.

My only criticism is something which I rarely ever say about movies, is that I wish it was longer. I think the affect and anxiety that his mother's depression had on the eldest boy needed to be explored even more. We only get a very surface level of symptoms and afflictions of the child, and it would have been fascinating to get more on what affect it was having in his and his sister's life. I would have also liked a little more of a POV perspective of the husband and how he handled everything.

Overall, a very realistic and relatable projection of a debilitating and devastating condition.

Movies can teach us about life- When I was a teenager I watched (experienced) Days of Wine and Roses. Jack Lemon was a great comedian, but his serious dramatic performance probably turned me and others away from becoming alcoholic.

I've always enjoyed Sarah Silverman's strong comedy which is grounded in hard reality. We laugh because we see truth in new ways.

Stephen King could not create a more wrenchingly emotional story about the horror of personal depression. And the danger of deceit, anger and unrelenting despair. There are things in life that can't be controlled and the real horror is when they come from inside us.

Sarah Silverman's professional dramatic performance is magnificent. I can't wait for more from her- drama or comedy or both.

First I must state my perception, my image, my imagination of Sarah Silverman is permanently altered! Thanks a lot Sarah! From a wickedly funny actress to depressingly serious actress - all at once! Sarah Silverman gives a performance in 'I Smile Back' that will both confuse and unsettle her fans.

Thanks to Sarah Silverman and fellow cast members Director: Adam Salky and writer: Paige Dylan have successfully brought to the screen a story that is a look into the dark mental labyrinth of an upper middle class housewife and her marriage to a successful man that has placed great value on image. There is no real beginning and no defined end to this story. The doors are suddenly open to this family and we are given a slice of their life and then the door is shut. We the viewer will never know when Laney Brooks mental decay starts nor when or if it ever stops. We see her as she is at this moment in her life.

Laney Brooks (Sarah Silverman) wife of Bruce Brooks (Josh Charles) live a most above average life with two very young delightful children. All seems provided for - beautiful home, beautiful parents, a very high end school for the charming and talented children. BUT as the saying goes 'still waters run deep' and all is not what it seems to be in this idyllic setting. Laney suffers an unaddressed need in her mind that she and we cannot comprehend. There is a pivotal scene where Laney tells her husband that she has some things, dark things, to tell him. He in-turn doesn't want to hear this and surrounds himself with the children eating cake and cookies. He only wants the that which is sweet and nice. As seen in Laney's expression this is yet another hurtle she cannot cross.

Sarah Silverman offers a very mysterious and dark performance in this depressing story.

I am a 28 year old male, and this movie touched on a lot of issues I have struggled with in depression, mostly drugs and continuing to be destructive regardless of how much pain it causes. I teared up many times in the movie, Sarah was excellent. If you are looking for a happy movie, this is not it, and if you didn't care about the characters in the movie you obviously have little to no sympathy for people struggling with clinical depression. This was a very realistic observation of how one finds it extremely hard to see through life's struggles, and how some people are just never see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Very hard to watch, like Silver Linings Playbook but with less mania and fewer extremes. This is actually a plus, compared to SLP: her weaknesses lurk deeper beneath a surface of normalcy.

Excellent performances will appeal to an audience of actors while a relationship-laden story line will appeal to an audience of script writers.

Normally I am drawn to character studies as I have a strong appreciation for films that leave you caring about the characters and what happens to them. Somehow though, this time I find I can't recommend this film to my non-actor/non-scriptwriter friends. Maybe it rang so true, so plausible, so "normal," that the discomfort of watching these lives unfold outweighed the excellent performances of the players.