2023 Sundance Film Festival Movie Review: Sometimes I Think About Dying

Sometimes I Think About Dying is the latest film from director Rachel Lambert and is adapted from the award-winning short film of the same name by Stefanie Abel Horowitz. The film follows a woman named Fran (Daisy Ridley) who likes to think about dying while working at her mundane office job. She’s good at making spreadsheets and hardly ever talks to or even acknowledges her co-workers. After work, she goes home to her lonely apartment, each cottage cheese, her favorite food, with a glass of wine. It’s a lonely life for Fran, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

But when a new co-worker, Robert (Dave Merheje) starts working at the office, he reaches out to Fran about getting office supplies, but then starts talking to her as a person, to the point where Fran actually talks to him and even makes him laugh. This opens up new emotions in Fran and she must overcome herself if she wants to see this go any further.

Lambert immerses us inside the mind of Fran immediately. Fran’s first words don’t come until over twenty minutes into the film. During that time, we are navigating the world through Fran’s eyes. We are introduced to her dimly lit office with her overly-peppy co-workers. We hear their side conversations about nothing and listen to the talk about random topics that ultimately don’t mean anything. Though Fran hardly speaks or even acknowledges her employees, she isn’t rude or standoffish, she just doesn’t feel it necessary to take part in what is happening. She likes her job and she likes that she is good at her job, she’s just too into her head most of the time. There is an Office Space quality to Sometimes I Think About Dying about how dull this office life is. The blandness and lack of color in the office and everyone’s outfits make us feel the monotony these people live with every day.  

Ridley is sensational as Fran. Forever known for her performance as Rey in the latest Star Wars trilogy, Ridley shows the range that proves she is more than just an action heroine and gives me hope for her career in a post-Star Wars world. Ridley portrays Fran as someone who is always in her own head, whether overthinking a situation or thinking about another way of dying. As Fran starts to slowly come out of her shell, Ridley’s charisma and comedic timing (an underrated factor in her performance as Rey) come out and it makes us grow to like Fran quite a lot. Merheje is ridiculously charming and sweet as Robert tries to navigate furthering a relationship with Fran despite her quirky tendencies. The two have terrific chemistry and you feel all the emotions they have for each other throughout the movie.

There isn’t anything overly complicated about Sometimes I Think About Dying. It’s a smartly written romantic comedy about a woman coming out of her shell for the first time in a long time. There is a lot of wit, sweetness, and humor in the film and Ridley and Merheje are a lovely pair that you root for. Sometimes I Think About Dying isn’t your typical romantic comedy, but it’s one of the better ones I’ve seen in recent years.

Sometimes I Think About Dying premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

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