I Used to Be Funny

2024 1h 46m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

🍅

84%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

6.4

IMDB

★6.7TMDB · 69🍅84%Rotten Tomatoes●74Metacritic★6.4IMDB · 4,004

DramaComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Sam, an aspiring stand-up comedian and au pair struggling with PTSD, weighs whether to join the search for Brooke, a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. As she fights to recover from her trauma and return to the stage, memories of her deep bond with Brooke rush back—making it impossible to ignore her disappearance.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Rachel Sennott
Sam Cowell
Olga Petsa
Brooke Renner
Jason Jones
Cameron Renner
Sabrina Jalees
Paige
Caleb Hearon
Philip
Ennis Esmer
Noah
Dani Kind
Jill
Hoodo Hersi
Zara

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ally Pankiw
Writers: Ally Pankiw
Languages: English
Countries: Canada

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $2.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 8% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ally Pankiw, shot by Nina Djacic. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ames Bessada. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Curt Lobb shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Rachel Sennott and Olga Petsa and Jason Jones carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt16300138 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ally Pankiw directs. Nina Djacic behind the camera. Ames Bessada scores. Curt Lobb cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Canada. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $2.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 8% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 2 years ago.
4Directed by Ally Pankiw, shot by Nina Djacic. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Ames Bessada. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Curt Lobb shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Rachel Sennott and Olga Petsa and Jason Jones carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt16300138 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 69 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 17 themes, including "post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)", "toronto, canada", "nanny", "comedian".

The technical file

Cinematography: Nina Djacic
Original score: Ames Bessada
Editing: Curt Lobb
Production design: Ciara Vernon
Costume design: Courtney Mitchell
Makeup / hair: Andi Clifford
Sound: Lucas Roveda
Runtime: 106 min · 1h 46m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $2,000,000
Box office: $160,499
Return: 8% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: I Used to Be Funny (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 74/100
IMDB rating: 6.4/10 · 4,004 votes

Awards

8 nominations total

Also by

Ally Pankiw

Stills · wallpapers

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots2024-07-17
★ 6/10
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 story begins with a news report that Brooke has gone missing. Sam, who is suffering from a traumatic event, decides to join in the search for the girl she used to nanny. Blending the past and present, it becomes clear why these two women are dealing with emotional wounds in their own unique way. This is the perfect vehicle for Sennott to showcase her range as an actor, and she delivers a powerful performance. she captures the complexity of her character with nuance, blending drama with a touch of comedy when her situation becomes too much to bear. While her story isn’t on its own very original, Pankiw is an outstanding storyteller, shifting seamlessly between the past and present. The dual timeline keeps the narrative unpredictable and surprising, which will keep you engaged during the film’s slower moments (it could use some tightening overall). The challenging subject matter can feel upsetting and heartbreaking, but it’s also so important to see stories that highlight essential aspects of the female experience. Sam and Brooke have a loving yet complicated relationship, and Pankiw explores this friendship with a heart-wrenching candor. “I Used to Be Funny” isn’t a film that’s easy to watch, but it gives a highly realistic portrayal of the slow and agonizing healing process after living through a traumatic experience. By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

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