Movie

Only When I Laugh

1981 · 120 min

A bittersweet, talky character piece that balances sharp wit with raw emotional pain, anchored by a powerhouse lead performance.

Tagline: It'll make you laugh...'til you cry.
Overview: A boozy Broadway actress comes out of a 12-week cure to face the problems of her best friends as well as her needy daughter. She tries to balance the terrors of returning to work with the demands of all around her with humor and insight, while staying off the booze.
How it feels: Melancholic, warm, earnest and dark. Measured and needs your attention.
About: Addiction, family, friendship, identity
Content: Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Free in the US

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Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown

Tone: melancholicstrength 2 of 3
warmstrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
darkstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: addiction
family
friendship
identity
redemption
Places: big city
home
Era: contemporary
Audience: adult
Form: None
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild