Stutz Review

If you can’t laugh about it, you probably don’t understand life. The incredibly funny Jonah Hill meets his match in his directorial debut documentary Stutz. And his subject is not an upcoming comic but rather his psychiatrist Phil Stutz.

Jonah Hill has talked about his weight issues and anxiety openly in the past. He has been vocal about how therapy helped him cope with the angst under his seemingly perfect life of fame and fun. Initially, he talks about his motive behind making this film: to disseminate Phil’s “Tools” as a knowledge resource to fight mental illness. But is it really so? Phil’s tools are not exactly new life-changing advice; most self-help books or a quick search on the internet would more or less re-iterate the same advice in different words. You make a film because there is something you want to say, something you want to get out of your system. I felt Jonah wasn’t being honest about his intentions, a film that asks you to bare it all out doesn’t do it itself. But here lies the part, that separates it from other documentaries

For the first 25 minutes, it feels like a half-rehearsed visual podcast. But at the one-third mark it shifts gear. The black and white curtain falls and reveals a green screen. The filmmakers had to re-create Phil’s office so that the audience feels its one long interview shot, but as Jonah reveals that they have been shooting this one scene for two years and its getting nowhere. Jonah has been lying to the last person he should be lying to. Phil isn’t surprised, he probably knew it all this while. And as he says this will probably be the best documentary or the worst; which in my opinion is not very far from the truth.

In the second act, the film opens up. Jonah talks about his relationship with his mother and how the one woman that is supposed to love him unconditionally questioned his self-image. Phil talks about his parents and his struggles with love. Jonah’s mom also makes an appearance in the film, and in the end you end up empathising with her too. As one by one the characters reveal their deepest shame or sorrows, you can’t help but think about your own. For some this film might not work at all, some have called it trauma dumping. I feel that is short-sighted and totally negates the sincerity of the characters portrayed in the film.

The camera doesn’t move much in the two-person setup. The cinematography is soothing but the real beauty is when the camera captures the little movements. Phil suffers from Parkinson’s disease, the camera often stops at Phil’s shaking hands and feet. Wobbling in his seat, Phil’s body might be in decline but his thoughts are crystal clear. He really wants to help people, his sincerity is clear all throughout the film. Phil has faced some criticism regarding his techniques, which many say reduces mental health problems to one size fit all solutions. I do not recommend this film as an alternate to therapy but neither does Phil. As he argues multiple times in the film, these tools/ techniques are designed to give the person some hope, that there is room for improvement. Depression doesn’t necessarily need to shred you into pieces.

Ultimately this film is about the genuine friendship between patient and psychiatrist. Its about being vulnerable, its about moving on. Jonah sums it up brilliantly at the end; he says he is glad this film is over, it doesn’t matter if the people like it or not, its finally done. He wanted to talk about his brother’s death in the most public way possible, he had to take it out of his system. So, was this all a big exercise in applying his “life-force” ? Probably yes, and may the force be with you.

You can watch the trailer here