It takes a lot to pull off a one-person stage show with any degree of success. It takes even more to pull it off on film. Stand-up comedians aside, the most successful participant in the genre has been Spalding Gray, and you can only endure so many revelations about the minutiae of his life before tiring of his titanic ego. Standing in contrast to Gray's carpet-bombing of embarrassing self-revelation is Julia Sweeney, whose stage show and film God Said, 'Ha!' shares a personal story without coming off as egocentric or excessively intimate. The production consists of an autobiographical monologue about what can only be characterized as the worst year of Sweeney's life: Shortly after her divorce, she purchased a small bungalow. But all dreams of setting up an idyllic bachelorette pad are dashed when her brother, who has just been diagnosed with cancer, moves in, followed shortly by her parents, who come to take care of him. In the midst of all this, Sweeney herself is diagnosed with cervical cancer. While none of these events seem likely to inspire hilarious comedy, Sweeney deftly and humorously glides through her story. The first 20 minutes are a bit unnerving—her initial motions and speech are best characterized as awkward—but she quickly loosens up. The potentially uncomfortable situations are presented in a light, matter-of-fact fashion that never betrays the seriousness beneath the narrative. When she reaches the point of her brother's death, the events are relayed with such unadorned frankness that it serves as one of the most moving movie deaths you'll find, fictional or otherwise. God Said, 'Ha!' is funny and poignant, and essential viewing for anyone who thought Sweeney was capable only of playing irritating, sexually ambiguous cherubs.