Boring

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Sarah Silverman the comedian is always, as are most of today's performers, using comedy as a drug, a treatment for existential dread. "If I can make them laugh, I'm alive, I'm part of something that's vibrant, no matter how I may feel deep inside." This is why we are transfixed by comedy, which is why "I Smile Back" was absolutely entrancing for me. Her character, Laney, was treading water, dealing with her desires, fears, disappointments in a way that, if played for the release of laughter, could have been very close to the Sarah persona. In this film we saw Sara's nude body, but no more so than we see her uncovered in her comedy persona. This short film, an hour and a half, is built on this person we know, had there been a slight variation, such as abandonment by her father when she was nine years old. Laney, never had a father, or the sense of unconditional love that would allow her to be with a crowd of friends sharing the contradictions of existence, and turning the moment, by wit and wisdom, into loving laughter. Laney, could never get over her hurt by the Dad she had loved, and then he was gone, never to contact her again. She sought the love in raw unfeeling sex, reproducing the rejection and loss of her father, with the men who had just given her sexual pleasure. Sorry for the dissection of this film, one that went beyond entertainment, to the sense of sharing a life, that tragic as it was, was how things are for more people than we can imagine.

The underbelly of the suburban lifestyle is a common theme in cinema. The genre is called suburban Gothic. "American Beauty" is probably the most famous example; others include "The Ice Storm" and "The Oranges" are others. "I Smile Back" takes a different approach to the subject. In a markedly different role from her usual acts, Sarah Silverman plays an upper-middle-class wife whose seemingly perfect existence hides her struggles with mental illness and drug usage.Silverman's unglamorous performance creates a true-to-life despondent character. With this role she shows herself to be a versatile actress. And let me tell you, it's a gritty role. Her character is one of the most self-destructive ever put on screen. Good support comes from the other cast members, but this is definitely Silverman's movie. When I first learned of her from her comedy acts, I never would've imagined her playing a serious role, but she does a great job at it. I highly recommend the movie.

I came into watching 'I Smile Back' having recently come out of a relationship with a woman suffering from severe depression, both having younger children from previous relationships. I was aware of her depression right from the start and it wasn't an issue as it never manifested, up until the last 5-6 months that is. For the 85 minutes this film played, it was like I was watching my life played out by Josh Charles and my partners by Sarah Silverman. Almost perfectly Adam Salky's adaptation of Amy Koppelman's semi-biographical novel highlights and encapsulates the rigors and devastation depression can have on someone's life and the loved ones around them.As the film goes on and you are rooting for Silverman's character to get it together, get healthy, and be happy; the most common questions that keep reoccurring (as in my own experience) are how much is depression to blame for the erratic behavior, the self-destruction, the poor life choices, the hurting of others? Where does the depression end and the person begin? What should be forgiven and what cannot be? Coming from a position of clear bias and sympathy for the husband, I 100% related to being in that position that he is doing everything he can to help her, he clearly loves her and wants his family to be happy together. Often, love and good intentions are not enough in these scenarios, and decisions need to be made about whether to keep fighting in the hope things get better or to let it go so it doesn't destroy everyone. 'I Smile Back' really balances these questions so there's no clear right answers.I was a little wary initially of Sarah Silverman being in the title role. Even with her previous serious roles I still felt that in your face, over-the-top personality wanting to burst out. Not in this. She nails it, and really makes you feel every emotional high and low. Unlucky not to be recognized by the Academy this year.My only criticism is something which I rarely ever say about movies, is that I wish it was longer. I think the affect and anxiety that his mother's depression had on the eldest boy needed to be explored even more. We only get a very surface level of symptoms and afflictions of the child, and it would have been fascinating to get more on what affect it was having in his and his sister's life. I would have also liked a little more of a POV perspective of the husband and how he handled everything.Overall, a very realistic and relatable projection of a debilitating and devastating condition.

This, although slow at times is a powerful insight into the devastation of mental illness and addiction. I thought the acting was powerful and true to life. The film shows how devastating a childhood loss or event can be and that it scars for life. What may seem like something one can move on from, can take hold of your life due to childhood scars being so deeply embedded. As I watched I couldn't help but think she was the girl who had everything. The beautiful family, the loving husband, the beautiful house and car etc. Never judge a book by its cover. I have experienced this disease in person and found this to shake me right through as it was so true to life. Someone with experience of this disease will find this film rather upsetting and a stark reminder of how important it is to tell your kids you love them and that you will always have their back. If the devastation of addiction doesn't interest you, you may want to skip this one. If you are in recovery...this is a must see!