I Used to be Funny

83%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

77%

Audience Score

Fewer than 50 Ratings

I Used To Be Funny is a dark dramedy that follows Sam Cowell (Rachel Sennott), an aspiring stand-up comedian and au pair struggling with PTSD, as she decides whether or not to join the search for Brooke (Olga Petsa), a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. The story exists between the present, where Sam tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage, and the past, where memories of Brooke make it harder and harder to ignore the petulant teen's sudden disappearance.

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I Used to be Funny

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Bringing a droll edge to deeply serious subject matter, Ally Pankiw's feature length debut provides Rachel Sennott a welcome opportunity to display her dramatic range.

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Critics Reviews

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I Used to be Funny | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Radheyan Simonpillai

CTV's Your Morning

It’s really smart and lovely indie filmmaking that finds this delicate balance between the laughs and the big emotions, and using the laughs to cope with the big emotions

Jun 14, 2024

Full Review

I Used to be Funny | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Katie Walsh

Tribune News Service

In her film debut, [Pankiw] delivers a full and fulfilling narrative arc that is anchored by a surprisingly complex performance from Sennott.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 12, 2024

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I Used to be Funny | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Jordan Hoffman

The Daily Beast

There’s the old cliché about loving a performer so much you’d watch them read the phone book. That’s put somewhat to the test in I Used to Be Funny, a low-energy, unoriginal, and poorly crafted film.

Jun 10, 2024

Full Review

I Used to be Funny | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Gissane Sophia

Marvelous Geeks Media

I Used to Be Funny is mostly pretty heartbreaking, but Rachel Sennott delivers a terrific performance that makes the entire film, especially the ending, worth its salt.

Jun 19, 2024

Full Review

I Used to be Funny | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Sean Burns

North Shore Movies

Sennott is so good you’ll find herself getting angry at the movie for undercutting her work with a pointless jigsaw puzzle structure.

Jun 15, 2024

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I Used to be Funny | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Danilo Castro

Next Best Picture

The ending of “I Used to Be Funny” is sweet, given the dire circ*mstances in which it occurs. I just wish the film was more confident in its dramatic side to deliver on the promise of its diptych premise.

Rated: 6/10

Jun 14, 2024

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Audience Reviews

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Asantewaah Loved it! Love seeing Rachel Sennott in these dramatic roles where she truly shines! She’s both hilarious and serious and it’s perfect. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/12/24 Full Review Maxwell B It's a movie about trauma, grief, and depression. It has a comedic undertone given the main character is a comedian. It drags a bit in the last 20 minutes but I would say it's worth watching. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/21/24 Full Review Jason M Acting was horrible; times lines were tried to be suspenseful, but greatly missed the mark… The only reason this movie got decent reviews was because of The audiences Sorrow for the main character…Don’t waste your time Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/20/24 Full Review Jared S There is traces of a good movie here, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. There are some themes that are tackled with an appropriate level of poignancy, but the comedy itself really dillutes the whole film as it makes the overall tone so jarring and awkward. It doesn't know whether it wants to be a Phoebe Bridgers needle-drop sadgirl piece that explores PTSD trauma or an Apatow produced comedy. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/20/24 Full Review Jim E Rotten tomatoes like most of these social media sites is wasting their time trying to be something they're not!The cast is good but the story is a mess! Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/18/24 Full Review Joe C A deep story that works on many levels, with strong performances all around. Told in flashback style, a really tricky choice that isn't without bumps but overall works. There's a lot of raw feelings and a plot that is relevant to many. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/17/24 Full Review Read all reviews

I Used to be Funny

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Cast & Crew

Ally Pankiw Director Rachel Sennott Sam Olga Petsa Actor Jason Jones Actor Sabrina Jalees Actor Caleb Hearon Actor

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I Used to be Funny

I Used to be Funny: Trailer 1

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I Used to be Funny

I Used to Be Funny (2023)

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Movie Info

Synopsis I Used To Be Funny is a dark dramedy that follows Sam Cowell (Rachel Sennott), an aspiring stand-up comedian and au pair struggling with PTSD, as she decides whether or not to join the search for Brooke (Olga Petsa), a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. The story exists between the present, where Sam tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage, and the past, where memories of Brooke make it harder and harder to ignore the petulant teen's sudden disappearance.

Director: Ally Pankiw
Producer: James Weyman, Jason Aita, Breann Smordin
Screenwriter: Ally Pankiw
Distributor: Utopia
Production Co: Vigilante Productions, Partizan, Ontario Creates, Téléfilm Canada, Barn 12
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 7, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 18, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $87.0K
Runtime: 1h 45m