You Light Up My Life (1977): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1977, You Light Up My Life is a drama and romance film directed by Joseph Brooks, running about 90 minutes. “Sometimes when you reach for a dream you have to leave something behind.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Laurie has been in show business since she was a child. Her dream is to be a singer, songwriter and actress. Her father wants her to be a comedian like him and Laurie only tries because it pleases her father. But she is a lousy comedian. She auditions for everything and is engaged to Ken, but Ken does not understand her needs. She has a one night stand with Chris, only to later find that he is a director. She has many emotions that have not yet been addressed and she must face them before she can get on with her life.

Who’s in it. You Light Up My Life stars Didi Conn as Laurie Robinson, Joe Silver as Sy Robinson, Michael Zaslow as Chris Nolan and Stephen Nathan as Ken Rothenberg, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.2/10, You Light Up My Life has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch You Light Up My Life page.

If you liked it. Fans of You Light Up My Life tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.