I Used to Be Funny

As a person who has also experienced trauma, I've often wondered - how would I ever approach writing a book or movie about my experiences, and honestly the way this movie used flashbacks did resonate with me.

I can understand how some might feel it's disjointed, but honestly that's sometimes how living with PTSD, depression, etc. Feels like.

I know some people complained that it's not funny, I guess I didn't expect it to be laugh out loud funny based on the description - it literally includes PTSD in the description and is called "I used to be funny" - i.e. She doesn't feel funny anymore.

Overall, I appreciated the storytelling.

"I Used to Be Funny" is a captivating Canadian film that masterfully weaves together raw, heartbreaking moments with a surprising touch of humor. Rachel Sennott's performance shines yet again, reaffirming my unwavering admiration for her talent. As both the lead and a true force on screen, Sennott's portrayal effortlessly captures the complexities of the character's journey.

Ally Pankiw's directorial debut is stellar, showcasing a deep understanding of the human experience. While not flawless, the film's imperfections only add to its authenticity. Pankiw's skillful storytelling draws viewers into the protagonist's world, offering an accurate depiction of life with PTSD. The film's ability to blend these elements in a way that's both poignant and relatable makes it a must-see for anyone seeking a moving cinematic experience.

Sam Cowell (Rachel Sennott) is a stand-up comic with some success who does a bit of work as a nanny. Her 14 year old former charge Brooke Renner (Olga Petsa) is declared missing and shows up smashing her door in anger. Two years earlier, Sam gets hired by Cameron Renner (Jason Jones) to watch his 12 year old daughter while his wife is sick in the hospital.

The first half is intriguing. The mystery of the incident keeps my interest. Once it's revealed, the movie goes into Lifetime territories. The one glaring problem is the aunt's presence. Sam would notify her at every step. The fact that she exists is an exit ramp for Sam to take. That diminishes the intensity of the story. If she doesn't exist, Brooke would be running away from a foster home. The police could be less than co-operative. Then Sam would feel like she's Brooke's only hope. That would raise the intensity of the second half. As for Olga Petsa, she's a little old to play a 12 year old. Brooke's young age is very important to her feelings. Otherwise, Sennott is excellent. I can see this story working, but it needs some changes.

I USED TO BE FUNNY is an above-average mumblecore offering starring Rachel Sennott. Considering how quickly Rachel Sennott has blown up since the confusingly popular BOTTOMS has come out, it almost feels like she owed someone a favor doing this movie. While the movie mostly feels marketed as a comedy, the film itself primarily exists in the realm of heavy-handed drama, and when they do try to infuse comedy, it rarely lands. While the plot is pretty unique and ambitious for this kind of film, it also somehow felt a bit misdirected. On that note, there are certain movies (and often books) that you can consume where you feel almost certain that this story is primarily just something that its writer straight up went through and decided to turn into a feature length media offering - this is 100% one of those movies. My gut tells me that the writer simply went through all of this herself, and decided to tell the story, perhaps primarily because the combination of things feels so specific that it doesn't seem like someone would pair these two themes together any other way, namely the standup comedy details with the nannying plot points. The subject matter isn't interesting enough for someone to focus on without having been through it in reality, I feel, and sadly, it's not quite interesting enough as a movie either. While Sennott's performance is the strongest thing about the entire movie, with it being as dynamic and enjoyable as hers generally are, it doesn't fulfill in many other ways in the end - the only other thing I really found enjoyable in the end was its ambition. Worth watching once for (divine lordess) Sennott fans - not sure who else.

Powerful message and subject in this movie but the journey its a little tiresome, there is no real history here, its a basic movie, the protagonist is amazing but the rest of the cast are not very good in this, they are rookies I guess, they are not the best actors in here tbh, the way the story is told is kinda of make no sense just like this review, it's convoluted and not easy to follow but maybe im slow i don't know, the protagonist is a very funny stand up comedy artist and she is fighting some demons in this movie, and that's a very interesting thing to follow but the way its told through flashbacks it wasn't really neccesary, its hard to understand ok guys.