Rose Byrne has had quite the career over the last 30-plus years. From a small role in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones to being in Troy and Marie Antoinette early on, she went on to earn awards attention for her performance in the legal thriller series Damages, join the Insidious and X-Men franchises, and deliver hilarious comedic work in hits like Bridesmaids and the Neighbors franchise.
Byrne is nowadays best recognized for her more humorous roles, as that’s the genre she’s mostly gravitated toward over the last 15 years. Yet, she has also proven to have the range to deliver powerful, emotional, dramatic performances when given the opportunity. That’s exactly what she got to do in her latest film, a psychological drama that also includes some comedy, which is now widely available at the perfect time.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You Is Now Streaming After Rose Byrne’s Oscar Nomination
Last year, Byrne headlined If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. She plays Linda, a psychotherapist and struggling mother, in the comedy-drama directed by Mary Bronstein and produced by A24. Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, and ASAP Rocky are among her co-stars. Now, as of January 30, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is finally streaming on HBO Max for all subscribers.
The streaming debut could not come at a better time for the movie and its star. It was only last week that Byrne was nominated for an Oscar in Best Actress thanks to the strength of her work. Her performance has been heaped with praise ever since the film debuted over a year ago at Sundance.
At that time, ScreenRant‘s review by Mae Abdulbaki wrote that it was a “career-best performance from Byrne.” It’s one of the key reasons why If I Had Legs I’d Kick You has a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, putting it just eight points shy of the rare perfect RT score. Practically all the reviews echo Mae’s stance that the lead actress has never been better than she is here.
That sentiment has stuck with Byrne over the last year, with the Oscar nomination one final huge accomplishment to cap off an incredible awards season for her. Her accolades for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You include the Silver Bear from the Berlin Film Festival, a Best Actress – Musical or Comedy win at the Golden Globes, and nominations from Critics’ Choice Awards, Actor Awards, and BAFTA.
That profile is why Byrne is positioned as the second-most likely winner of the Oscars 2026 Best Actress category in my latest predictions. But most in the general public have not taken the chance to see the movie yet. With If I Had Legs I’d Kick You finally streaming on HBO Max, there will be more eyeballs on it, which should bring even more support for Byrne’s exceptional performance.
- Release Date
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October 24, 2025
- Runtime
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113 minutes
- Director
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Mary Bronstein
