Laura Smiles (2006): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2006, Laura Smiles is a drama film directed by Jason Ruscio, running about 98 minutes. “She lives in the present ... she loves in the past” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. "Laura Smiles" is an alarmingly effective portrait of a woman's mental breakdown. We are introduced to "Laura" at her happiest time, in a warm, loving relationship with her fiancé (a very appealing Kip Pardue) in the city, literally the love of her life. In flashbacks, we then see the sweet development of this relationship out of order as these moments become brightly lit and colored memories that desperately intrude on her later in life, as she becomes consumed with guilt and remorse over his fate. These feelings start to overwhelm her current life as a wife and mother. As something inconsequential in what she calls her "suburban drudgery" triggers the past -- in the supermarket, cooking, cleaning, at a school play-- she acts out increasingly aberrantly to counteract the feelings they generate, especially when she can no longer distinguish past from present from dreams, recalling Blanche Du Bois.

Who’s in it. Laura Smiles stars Petra Wright as Laura, Mark Derwin, Kip Pardue and Jonathan Silverman.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.1/10, Laura Smiles has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Laura Smiles page.

If you liked it. Fans of Laura Smiles tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.