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 troubled teen’s sudden disappearance. Writer/director Ally Pankiw’s debut feature is both funny and heartbreaking in its honest and refreshing look at trauma and recovery, and how they affect the relationships and communities that shape us.

For in-depth thoughts on I Used to Be Funny, please see my colleague Phil Walsh’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

I Used to Be Funny comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that ideally translates the film to home viewing. While there is a bit more vibrancy in some of the flashbacks, especially on stage, the film primarily portrays a more reserved, internal world that Sam retreats from after the attack. The transfer handles every environment with the appropriate amount of care. The transfer reveals texture within the clothing, makeup, and production design that adds significant depth to the picture. Skin tones are detailed and natural all around. Highlights are handled well with no instances of blooming, and the blacks are deep and do not succumb to any crush or compression artifacts. Utopia has done an excellent job with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a straightforward yet excellent DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that translates this story with ease. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever being clipped by competing sounds. Environmental flourishes flesh out the mixture of urban and suburban soundscapes to make the world feel more lived-in. The film uses music to emotional effect as it saturates the room with a confident soundscape. The soundtrack adds some texture to the low end at points. The sound design is not overly showy, but sounds are positioned perfectly in the mix such as audience laughter. This is a top-notch release all around. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Ally Pankiw and Script Supervisor Paula Wilson provide a pleasant commentary track that delivers plenty of engaging production details about the locations, the production design, the performers, and more with occasional detours into narrative and structure.

Q&A with Director Ally Pankiw: Director Ally Pankiw takes part in a 20-minute Q&A in which she discusses the intention of making the film, working with the performers to capture the voice of their characters, the difficulties of shooting an independent movie, themes tackled in the film, and more.

Still Gallery: A minute-long collection of stills from the production is provided.

Original Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided here.

Booklet: There is a multi-page booklet included featuring the essay “She Used To Be Funny, but She’ll Always Be Rachel Sennott” by film historian Andrew Crump in which he examines the star, how she inhabits the character, and the narrative in a very illuminating manner.

Final Thoughts

I Used to Be Funny is a tonally tricky film that tackles very sensitive subject matter with honesty and care. Director Ally Pankiw knows that trauma is often not depicted with the necessary grace in media, but she also is aware that humor is needed to get through some of life’s toughest moments. She has created a film that is hilarious when it needs to be and punches you in the gut at other points. The balance is practically perfect, especially as performed by a flawless ensemble led by the amazing Rachel Sennott. It is among the best films to be released this year, and we can only hope it gets the audience it so richly deserves. Utopia has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fetching A/V presentation and some great special features. Highly Recommended

I Used to Be Funny is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome/OCN Distribution.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Utopia & OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.