Netflix will be adding a drama film based on the novel of the same by Amy Koppelman on November 29 and the streamer is recognised for its library of critically acclaimed book adaptations.
The film stars Sarah Silverman as an upper-middle-class wife and mother struggling with mental illness and addiction.
There was universal praise for Silverman’s performance as Elaine “Laney” Brooks following the film’s initial release in 2015.
The star was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards the following year.
The film in question coming to Netflix is I Smile Back, but there’s bad news for some fans of the actress’s work.
Unfortunately, the film will only be added to Netflix US, meaning fans in the UK will not be able to watch it on Netflix.
However, there are other ways to watch the film in the UK, as it is available to rent or buy through Prime Video or Sky Store.
Fans took to Rotten Tomatoes to share their thoughts, with Jerod S saying: “I Smile Back is meant to make you irk at the pain of addiction, especially as a parent in a family. Silverman makes the viewer so uncomfortable, just like it was meant to be.”
An anonymous viewer shared: “Sarah Silverman’s performance is raw and utterly convincing. A dark, unflinching look at self-destruction that will not be to everyone’s taste.”
A third added: “Sarah Silverman is captivating as a depressed suburban housewife battling addiction and self-hatred issues. Her best work yet.”
The original book by Koppelman was published in 2008 and readers were full of praise for the storytelling.
Joey Gremillion said on Goodreads: “Very, very dark and very, very lovely writing. The reader is compelled to identify and sympathize with Laney, a depressed, alcoholic and drug-addicted housewife, who has it all but is unhappy. Heartbreakingly beautiful.”
Darin Strauss said: “Amy Koppelman probes deeply into the dark and cavernous recesses of a picture-perfect suburban mom, and emerges with one of the most terrifying novels I’ve read in ages. It’s a glorious little explosion of a book.”
The film received mixed reviews from critics, with the Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus reading: “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.”
I Smile Back is coming to Netflix US on November 29. In the UK, the film is available to rent or buy through Prime Video or Sky Store.
