This review was made possible by an advance screening of I Used to be Funny. I Used To Be Funny is now showing in NY and LA theaters. The film will be released on digital platforms on June 18.
Rachel Sennott has had one of my favorite acting careers in recent memory, as she doesn’t tend to perform in traditionally “likable” roles – but that’s not an insult by any means. It’s quite the opposite. She’s a late Millennial with a deep understanding of the irony-poisoned Gen Z, and the plight of mental illnesses and social issues that plague both generations. It makes her immediately relatable for young audiences, creating a more meaningful parasocial connection than a surface-level “likability” ever could.
A Career Built on Complex Characters
In Shiva Baby, she handled the tense role of a sex worker tangled in a web of anxiety as she navigates a tricky social situation. Bottoms saw her in a more absurd comedic role alongside friend and collaborator Ayo Edebiri, but one that saw two lesbians trying to find love in high school, while also dealing with topics of feminism, misogyny and social status.
I Used To Be Funny fits right in with her previous work, weaving darker drama elements with her more sardonic sense of humor – and it feels built specifically around her performance. The film follows stand-up comedian and au pair Sam Cowell, as she deals with PTSD, which has uprooted her personal life and career.
The film is centered around the present as she’s slowly trying to put the pieces of her life back together – but things become complicated when a teenage girl she used to nanny goes missing. From there, glimpses of Sam’s past are interwoven with the main plot through flashbacks. The Sam Cowell of the past is happy, healthy, and incredibly witty with her humor. She has a comeback for anything anyone says, to a degree that it may fly over someone’s head.
The Past: Glimpses of a Life Before the Fall
She has a charming boyfriend and wonderful friends, and she regularly performs at the local comedy club, cracking jokes about her experiences with men. These flashbacks aren’t simply brief glimpses, but rather tell a persistent narrative on the same level as the current day events – if not more so. At first, this seems a bit gimmicky, but to feature debut director Ally Pankiw’s credit, it’s actually a mechanic utilized very well to serve the story.
Through the back and forth of the two interwoven arcs, an incredible tension is built as you sense something is coming. You don’t know what, but it keeps you guessing in the back of your mind for a bit. Later on, you may start to think you know where the plot is going, and you may be right, but it continues to draws you in further still, hitting you hard and heavy. The moody lighting, subtly shaky handheld camerawork, and indie sadgirl soundtrack all help build it up.
And of course, it’s Sennott as well, delivering a hauntingly real performance, but being equally hilarious in the lighter moments. Actually, she continues to kill it with comedy even in the heavier scenes, as she uses humor as a coping mechanism to deal with her trauma.
Right alongside her performance is that of Olga Petra as Brooke Renner, the teenage girl who goes missing. She has a sweet innocence about her, but has to deal with her own demons as well, and that pain and her chemistry with Sennott help build an excellent, dynamic role. Sam’s stand-up friends/roommates, Paige and Philip, are perfectly brought to life by Sabrina Jalees and Caleb Hearon, respectively. They both have a wonderful sincerity about them, but also know how to slam Sam with some hysterical jokes. They really bring a much-needed light energy to I Used To Be Funny.
‘I Used To Be Funny’ – Final Thoughts
I Used to be Funny builds tension using a novel, yet effective plot device, culminating in a heartbreaking punch to the gut. An intimate, horrifically real performance from Sennott is at the core of it all, providing a few good laughs through an otherwise emotional drama. I Used To Be Funny not only paints an accurate portrait of depression, but deals with heavy themes of PTSD as well – delivering a hard-hitting, bittersweet tale of love, pain, and loss.
I Used to be Funny is now showing in NY and LA theaters, and releases on digital platforms on June 18. Check out the trailer below.
The Review
I Used To Be Funny
'I Used to be Funny' builds tension using a novel, yet effective plot device, culminating in a heartbreaking punch to the gut. An intimate, horrifically real performance from Sennott is at the core of it all, providing a few good laughs through an otherwise emotional drama. I Used To Be Funny not only paints an accurate portrait of depression, but deals with heavy themes of PTSD as well - delivering a hard-hitting, bittersweet tale of love, pain, and loss.
