I Used to Be Funny

7/17/2024

With “I Used to Be Funny,” writer / director Ally Pankiw intertwines mystery and emotional depth to create a compelling narrative in her dark dramedy about a missing teenage girl and her friendship with a stand-up comedian with a debilitating case of PTSD. By exploring the various complexities of trauma, recovery, and healing in a refreshing, honest way, the film is poignant and feels highly personal. This is a story of emotional suffering, fractured relationships, and the long-term process of reclaiming happiness and a sense of identity. Revealing too much of the plot will spoil the film, so this review will be as vague as possible. Sam (Rachel Sennott) is an aspiring comedian who works as an au pair for Brooke (Olga Petsa). Told in flashbacks over a span of the last two years, the