For a movie about PTSD, I Used to Be Funny is anything but “used to.” The film is funny in the here and now, constantly reminding the audience that, while laughter isn’t the best medicine, sometimes it’s the only way to move forward in the wake of the unimaginable. Starring Rachel Sennott, best known for her comedic turn in Bottoms, I Used to Be Funny gets the actress to flex the dramatic muscles she used in her earlier project, Shiva Baby. She plays Sam, the stand-up comedian who can’t seem to shake her past with the family she nannied for.

It’s not difficult to guess what happened to Sam, but the strong use of flashbacks left me just enough in the dark to watch with anticipation. Though some may not have heard of Ally Pankiw, those of us who are I Used to Be Funny’s target audience are likely already familiar with her work — primarily with directed episodes of TV’s Feel Good, Shrill, and The Great. Pankiw writes and directs here, building tremendous empathy for Sam without letting her off the hook. Her friends are honest when she takes them for granted.

Despite A Slow Start, I Used To Be Funny Has Us In Its Grip By The End

Much of this is thanks to Rachel Sennott’s emotional performance

The supporting actors have a difficult job in I Used To Be Funny, as it’s Sam’s story first and foremost. Her roommates Philip (Caleb Hearon) and Paige (Sabrina Jalees) ground both Sam and the movie. Olga Petsa plays Brooke, the young girl Sam nannies and grows close to. It’s painful to watch the pair flip back and forth between love and estrangement as we slowly grasp what happened to come between them. Petsa is impressive and holds her own opposite Sennott in their most intense scenes.

However, it’s ultimately Sennott’s movie, and it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The actress navigates scenes that must have been emotionally grueling, and she does it with an honesty well beyond her years. There’s no doubt that she’s a comedic actor in her heart and soul, but it’s often the funniest performers who can reach the depth required for a role like Sam. Sennott still gets to be funny, but it’s a quiet humor that we haven’t fully seen her explore yet.

There’s nothing wrong with a movie needle drop, but featuring too many of them — including two songs by Phoebe Bridgers, — takes us out of the narrative for a moment. These internet-famous songs feel out of place in a story that is so genuine. What felt witheringly true to life was the effect social media and the immediacy of people’s opinions had on Sam and her recovery. Just like reality, there’s no escaping the comments and disapproval of internet strangers.

Many of these comments are left below videos of Sam’s stand-up, which is featured throughout the film. But the essential issue with any movie or TV show that features stand-up comedy is that the writer must invent good stand-up. It’s a fine line to walk for the performance and the crowd’s reactions to feel natural and unscripted. Luckily, the dialogue between characters is what soars. These are conversations I’ve had and the language I use in my daily life, giving I Used to Be Funny an air of authenticity.

It’s Easy To Want A Little More From I Used To Be Funny’s Conclusion

Despite a poignant end, the last 15 minutes feel like whiplash

When I Used to Be Funny finally arrives at the scene we’ve been waiting for the entire movie, it doesn’t make it any easier to watch. Nothing graphic is ever shown, but that doesn’t stop the heart from pounding and a sick feeling from forming in the pit of the stomach. Though the entire film is Sam’s slow march toward becoming herself again, her immediate change in demeanor and the uplifting end come too soon after the intensity of the final flashback. We get no time to breathe between the movie’s lowest low and highest high.

And yet, I Used To Be Funny will stick with me for a long time. As the story progresses, the filmmaking only gets stronger. The way we’re thrown into the narrative is disorienting but effective. Its Canadian setting is also a refreshing change, as Toronto is a character unto itself. The film’s depressing nature can bog it down, making it difficult to get through. However, the funny moments provide enough bright spots to help us feel a lot more than sadness and even a little hope.

I Used To Be Funny opened in New York theaters on June 7. It will be released in LA on June 14, and will be available on digital June 18.