There are many different ways of doing this, and in All My Puny Sorrows, a sense of sarcasm and tonally appropriate comedic moments are scattered throughout the story’s dark thesis. It’s never easy to paint a story with such a dark thematic centrepiece without treading into a void of complete darkness, which to be honest, can often be a detriment to creating a narrative that doesn’t reflexively push audiences away. Mare Winningham plays the matriarch of the family, with Mimi Kuzyk, Aly Mawji, and Michael Musi turning in strong supporting role performances as well.

After Elf has another suicide attempt, Yoli does all she can to help her sister find a will to live and avoid the same outcome that became their father. While Yoli is in the midst of a divorce and faces the challenges of raising a teenage daughter ( Amybeth McNulty), Elf struggles with mental health issues that feel all too familiar to her family. Coming from a small Mennonite community, the film primarily follows this troubled man’s daughters, Yoli ( Alison Pill) and Elf ( Sarah Gadon), who grapple with the emotional aftermath of this event. Opening up with a man ( Donal Logue) standing in front of an incoming fast-moving train, the theme of suicide becomes front and centre. The film can be a bit uneven at times, and is far from perfect, but does serve as a thoughtful examination of the intricate complexities of depression. But it also has a surprising amount of levitating wit to soothe audiences through its dramatic course.

Given its subject matter, the film is understandably a bit of an emotional roller coaster at times.

Netflix's 100 Best Movies Right Now April 2023 All My Puny Sorrows ( Michael McGowan) All My Puny Sorrows (2021) – source: TIFFīased on Miriam Toews‘ award-winning novel, Michael McGowan‘s All My Puny Sorrows is a true balancing act of melodramatic storytelling.

All the puny sorrows