An Unmarried Woman

Right now you can watch An Unmarried Woman on streaming — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Jill Clayburgh — stay for everyone else around them. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

There is a reason An Unmarried Woman keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in An Unmarried Woman land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. A wealthy woman from Manhattan's Upper East Side struggles to deal with her new identity and her sexuality after her husband of 16 years leaves her for a younger woman. Between them, Jill Clayburgh and Alan Bates carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It hit screens in 1978. An Unmarried Woman earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, An Unmarried Woman is a strong candidate. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Jill Clayburgh anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.

An Unmarried Woman was released in 1978, directed by Paul Mazursky. The full 124-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.