I Smile Back


I Smile Back is a 2015 American drama film directed by Adam Salky and based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Amy Koppelman, who wrote the screenplay with Paige Dylan. The film stars Sarah Silverman as an upper-middle-class wife and mother struggling with mental illness and addiction. The film had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2015. It also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2015. The film was released in a limited release on October 23, 2015, by Broad Green Pictures.

Plot

Outwardly, Laney appears to have the perfect suburban life. She has two loving children, a caring husband, and an opulent, upper-middle-class home. Beneath her seemingly pristine image lie anxiety, depression, unresolved childhood issues, and destructive behavior, which jeopardize everything she holds dear.

Cast

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2015. Shortly after, Broad Green Pictures acquired distribution rights to the film. The film was selected to screen at the Jerusalem Film Festival on July 11, 2015. and the Deauville Film Festival on September 6, 2015, as well as the Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2015, the Oldenburg International Film Festival on September 19, 2015, and the Chicago International Film Festival on October 16, 2015. The film was released on October 23, 2015, in a limited release.

Home media

I Smile Back was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on February 23, 2016.

Reception

Critical reception

I Smile Back received mixed reviews from critics, with universal praise for Silverman's performance. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 49% approval rating, based on 69 reviews, with an average rating of 5.76/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "I Smile Back serves as a powerful showcase for Sarah Silverman's dramatic range, but fails to surround her committed performance with a movie worthy of its depth". On Metacritic, the film has a score of 59 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". IndieWire reviewer Katie Walsh gave strong praise to Silverman's performance in the film.

Accolades

Silverman was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards.
YearAwardCategoryRecipientsResult
2016Washington DC Area Film Critics Association AwardsBest ActressSarah Silverman
2016Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading RoleSarah Silverman