If Rachel Sennott wasn’t already my secret Canadian girlfriend (who clearly lives in Niagara) after Shiva Baby and Bottoms, she is now. I loved Shiva Baby (and Bodies, Bodies, Bodies) and thought she was funny in Bottoms, but I don’t think I’ve ever REALLY appreciated her – and her rasp and wit – until now.

I Used to be Funny stars Sennott as a stand-up comedian/au pair (slash nanny slash babysitter) who has had a recent trauma… and the teen girl she was watching has gone missing. The film operates in the present with flashbacks to the events that caused her current drama.

What I love about this film is its writing… smart, clever, quippy, and warm… while the film itself is fairly cold. The characters operate on one very appealing plane while the tone of the film operates on a somber and sad one. And we don’t know why… the flick operates as a mystery where we slowly unravel what happened in the recent past. We can guess what went down… and our guess is probably right… but getting the details was pretty great (until it was pretty icky).

I love the interactions between Sennott and young Olga Petsa (as the teenager). They are warm and funny and, above all, real. Sennott’s also charming and witty with her friends and boyfriend… pretty much everyone gets a boost from the dialog and delivery.

The only real problem I have is what happened in the past to cause the problems. I could see it coming so I wished they’d have pulled a fast one and not been so obvious. Barring that, I’d have liked to see more of the trial.

Not that either of those things are really what the film’s about so I understand why they didn’t go there. In the end, it’s all about the the two ladies… they are what matters most and they made me want to hug the film.

I very much enjoyed this drama… which may not be funny in a ha-ha way, but remains funny in a charming and sweet and sassy way. And dramatic in a believable – and not melodramatic – way.

Score: 87