The subject matter is obviously heavy and weighs the audience down as much as the protagonist, but this is a mostly successful (if highly earnest) adaptation of the famed memoir by prize-winning documentarian Barbara Gordon. With such a lukewarm endorsement, my five-star rating may seem unwarranted, but this movie deserves a wide audience for one reason, as far as I'm concerned, and that's Geraldine Page's stunning supporting turn as the cancer-ravaged poet about whom Gordon is producing her latest work. The scene in the hospital, when Page explodes at Clayburgh, for the sentimentality of the documentary, will raise all the hair on your body and is further proof of Page's greatness. That she was not nominated for an Academy Award for this lacerating performance is an irrevocable blight on the movie industry.

One day Page will get her due. Watch I'M DANCING AS FAST AS I CAN, with all its flaws, to see this acting genius at full throttle.

This movie requires insight and empathy for the lead character, otherwise it does appear the director did not adequately present what is the groundfloor to such addictions. However, there is alot of character development here for those who listen carefully. Barbara is tortured due to being unwanted and unloved and has used her career to cover it up along with Valium use. She finally hits rock bottom and gets treatment via examining the sources of her rage filled inner-self. This movie really stands out in memory from the 80's as a frank presentation of addiction, multiple competing roles, and the culture-of-Narcissm we live in and the sickness it can really create. It shows that "success" is merely another cover up, another addiction with some people. Lovinging oneself is unconditional if it is real and yes you "don't have to cripple yourself to be loved."

This is a very sorry excuse for a movie about the consequences of abusing tranqulizers if your life isn't going too well. In this movie Jill Clayburgh plays a filmaker who is involoved in a pathetic relationship with a drunk, oh excuse me, I mean an alcoholic. Jill pops Valium like candy and it is no surprise that she ends up in the 1982 equivalent of Rehab for her drug dependancy. At the Rehab Clinic her psychiatrist makes the not too profound statement that 'You don't have to cripple yourself to be loved"Gee. I thought you didn't have to take 90 milligrams of Valium per day to be loved either. I give this movie 5 stars because Ms. Clayburgh did show some wonderful promise as an actress early in her career .

I saw this film when it first came out in the early 80s. I was not impressed with it then. I recently had a chance to view the video and thought I might feel differently. Well, NO, I still think it's an awful film. Though I admire alot of Jill Clayburgh's work, I don't particularly care for films that glorify the agony of mental illness. Also, this film needed a better director, casting, and script. I would give it zero stars if I could.

I lived her life and it is almost 20 years since I read the book and saw the movie and it still haunts me. Today I am fine, and I can say nothing more than that book really helped me to believe in myself.