It might seem upon first-glance that Sometimes I Think About Dying is your typical, existential crisis film in the vein of Charlie Kaufman.

And yet I remain fascinated by the end result all the same.

The film follows Fran, an office worker drone who spends her days scurrying around work making as little impact and leaving as little a trace as possible. When she gets home, her hours are consumed by dark fantasies about her demise.

Her new co-worker Robert talks an interest — gamely matching her deadpan wit — and the two begin a friendship that becomes more serious. With someone in her life worth sticking around for, Fran must fight her own trappings and intrusive ideas to allow herself happiness.

This dark comedy features the best performance so far in Daisy Ridley’s career, and her quiet turn is worth celebrating. She truly inhabits this character to an eerie degree, and she earns the viewers’ sympathy.

Director Rachel Lambert allows Ridley the freedom to do what’s best for the scenes, and has no problem leaning into and lingering during the quiet moments.

It won’t get many points for originality, however, and a lot of my enjoyment comes from being surprised these days. It’s been done before, but I can’t dispute that the film — and Ridley herself — manage to make this a worthwhile effort.

3.5/5 Stars