Only When I Laugh 1981

After completing rehab, Georgia Hines returns to her Manhattan apartment with a careful plan to stay sober and slowly ease back into theatre work. She is greeted by two close friends who have become a chosen family: Jimmy Perrino, a gay unemployed actor, and Toby Landau, a sophisticated socialite who carries herself with polished ease. Georgia openly declares her commitment to sobriety, and the trio tries to support her as she navigates the fragile line between recovery and the temptations that linger in their circle. Georgia’s teenaged daughter, Polly, lives with her father and Polly’s new stepmother Felicia, but Polly asks if she can move in with Georgia. Georgia agrees, hoping it marks a fresh start for both of them.

The road toward renewed stability takes a turn when Georgia receives a call from her ex-lover, writer David Lowe. He proposes a meeting to discuss a new script based on the couple’s turbulent, alcohol-fueled past. He wants Georgia to lead the project, to play herself. Feeling drawn to the chance to reclaim a piece of her life on stage, Georgia agrees. Her performance during rehearsals is luminous, and she begins to feel that she can separate art from life—until one scene unsettles her, and she loses her balance emotionally. David steps in with consolation, recognizing in her something uniquely powerful, and he leaves after kissing her on the cheek.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s fellow actor, Jimmy Perrino, lands a part in another production, keeping their group busy with forward motion even as personal tensions simmer. At Georgia’s rehearsal, she presents David with a gift-wrapped present, a gesture full of meaning and memory. The moment shifts when David introduces Georgia to his new girlfriend, Denise Summers. The news lands hard for Georgia, who realizes that David’s interest in her was rooted in friendship and shared history rather than romance. The day grows heavier as Toby reveals that her own husband has filed for divorce, a blow that ripples through the friendship network and prompts the group to gather at Toby’s stylish apartment that evening to process what’s happening.

Toby greets Georgia with impeccable attire, and the two women find themselves tracing a complicated arc of jealousy, nostalgia, and fatigue. Toby narrates a life she once imagined—being a college beauty, a less-than-talented actress, and then a flawless wife—and the memories trigger an ache that threatens to spill over. While Toby retouches her makeup, Georgia tirelessly refills Toby’s champagne glass as the older friend dispenses sage, and sometimes brittle, reflections. When Jimmy arrives, visibly shaken about his own career setback, the energy in the room shifts again. He confesses that he was fired from his play just days before opening, and the shock drives him toward the bottle. Georgia retreats to the kitchen, only to return infused with alcohol and a desperate resolve to rally everyone, a plan that backfires as her intoxication becomes apparent to the others.

Polly arrives later with her new boyfriend, Jason, while the circle tries to preserve some normalcy for her. The trio—Georgia, Toby, and Jimmy—hatch a plan to shield Polly from the truth of their troubles, but Georgia’s inebriation explodes in a dramatic, over-the-top reaction to Polly and Jason. Polly confronts Georgia’s blind spot toward the consequences of her behavior, scolding her for hurting those around her, and she storms out with Jason, leaving the apartment heavy with unresolved pain.

The night continues with Georgia’s attempt to regain control. Jimmy helps her home, but once alone, she slips away to a neighborhood bar for cigarettes and finds herself drawn into conversation with a stranger. The encounter turns unsettling, the stranger follows, pulls her into an alley, and leaves her battered. A bruised Georgia finally makes it to Toby’s apartment, pleading for discretion and no police involvement, while Toby tends to her injuries and continues to drink. The tension between genuine care and enabling behavior surfaces as Toby tries to help Georgia see how self-destructive she has become, while Georgia lashes out in defense and mockery.

A wall of frustration breaks between them, and Toby finally voices a hard truth: she has carried the weight of Georgia’s actions for too long. Their conflict culminates in a sharp, cathartic moment where Toby declares that she can no longer shield her friend. The line of dialogue hits hard, and in a rare, blistering outburst, Toby tells Georgia to stop being such a

stop being such an “astronomical pain in the ass”.

The moment of tension dissolves into a rare, shared laughter, and the two friends begin the slow process of reconciliation, acknowledging that their bond can endure even when the circumstances threaten to pull them apart.

The following morning brings a practical reevaluation. Polly attempts to arrange a lunch at Tavern on the Green with Georgia and Polly’s father to discuss custody and shared responsibilities, but Georgia uses her injury as a shield and declines. She confesses she is not ready to shoulder the demands of caring for another person, leaving Polly feeling rejected once again. In the wake of Polly’s departure, Georgia starts to accept the possibility of support from Jimmy’s steady, steadying presence as she recognizes how she has leaned on friends to enable her choices. The film closes on a note of tentative renewal, as Georgia finally agrees to meet Polly and Polly’s father for lunch later, signaling a cautious, hopeful path forward rather than a complete return to the old patterns.

This story unfolds with a keen eye for character, relationships, and the fragile balance between recovery and relapse. It explores how a close-knit circle of friends navigates vulnerability, responsibility, and the hard work of staying honest with themselves and with each other, all set against the backdrop of New York City’s intimate social circle and the pressures of artistic ambition.