Sick Girl (2023 film)

Sick Girl is a 2023 American comedy film written and directed by Jennifer Cram and starring Nina Dobrev, Brandon Mychal Smith, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Koenig, Hayley Magnus, Ray McKinnon, Dan Bakkedahl, and Wendi McLendon-Covey. It marks Cram's feature directorial debut. Dobrev serves as an executive producer of the film. It received negative reviews from critics.

Plot
Wren Pepper is a thirtysomething party gal who works as a cashier at a stationery store. All of her friends since her teenage years are at different stages in their lives: Laurel is focused on competitive marathons and a new relationship, Cece is raising her young daughter, and Jill is busy with her new toddler and a bickering husband. Hoping to reunite the friend circle, Wren tells a white lie that she has cancer. The lie spirals out of control when her friends go above and beyond to support Wren, placing her in awkward situations where she’s forced to lie to the public, her parents, and an actual cancer patient she befriends at a support group, named Leo.

Cast

 * Nina Dobrev as Wren Pepper
 * Brandon Mychal Smith as Leo
 * Sherry Cola as Laurel
 * Stephanie Koenig as Cece
 * Hayley Magnus as Jill
 * Ray McKinnon as Malcolm
 * Dan Bakkedahl as Fred Pepper
 * Wendi McLendon-Covey as Carol Pepper
 * Randy Wayne as Derek

Production
Filming occurred in Oklahoma. In August 2019, it was announced that filming wrapped. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a factor as to why the film was in post-production for more than three years. Patrick Stump serves as composer of the film, making it his first film score.

Release
The film was released in theaters and on digital platforms in the United States on October 20, 2023.

Reception
Pete Hammond of Deadline gave the film a negative review and wrote, "If you are going to do a so-called 'hilarious' comedy dealing with cancer you better know how to do it. Unfortunately, writer/director Jennifer Cram, for her first feature film in those jobs, does not knock it out of the park."

Courtney Howard of Variety also gave the film an unfavorable review and wrote, "On paper, it contains admirable notions about adult female friendships and the need to maintain that vital bond. In execution, however, those stirring sentiments are tested by taxing hijinks."