It’s no secret that stand-up comedy is often tied to pain and struggles, in what is sometimes referred to as the “sad clown paradox.” While comics may make a living making others laugh, many also suffer from depression, anxiety, and other disorders in their personal lives. However, while some comedians have kept these two realities separate, others have made their “damage” part of their material. Now, a new documentary Group Therapy takes a closer look at the connection between comedy and mental health, bringing together a panel of top-tier stand-ups in the process. The film recently debuted as part of the 2024 Tribeca Festival.
Directed by Neil Berkeley and produced by Kevin Hart (among others), Group Therapy finds Neil Patrick Harris leading a session to discuss the topic at hand. No, Harris is not a doctor — although he famously played one on TV — nor a stand up comic, but he steps nicely into the role of moderator nonetheless. Joining Harris are comedians Tig Notaro, Nicole Byer, Mike Birbiglia, Atsuko Okatsuka, London Hughes, and Gary Gulman.
Honestly, I was predisposed to enjoying this film as a huge fan of stand-up comedy and the fact that some of my favorite comics are included in this line up. It was also not lost on me that stand-ups such as Notaro, Birbiglia, and Gulman are known for their autobiographical “open-book” material, making them a perfect fit for the topic. And while I was less familiar with Okatsuka and Hughes, it quickly became clear why they and Byer were also perfect choices to join the group session.
As you might expect, Group Therapy does discuss some heavy topics and can be emotional at times. Yet, while you may shed a few tears during these more serious moments, it’s likely that the hilarious conversations between these comics will lead to even more tears. Beyond the prepared or previous materials shown in the film, the lightning-fast jokes that these comedians are able to deliver are something to behold.
With this being a Disney fan site, I do feel compelled to mention that there is a scene of Disney references thrown in. I won’t spoil the context, but I will say that — in the upset of all upsets — they don’t come from NPH.
One interesting decision the film makes is to have this group session in front of a live audience. On the one hand, this makes perfect sense since comics are used to the immediate feedback that comes from performing live. Yet, I can’t help but wonder how the tone may have been different if it were just the comedians, Harris, and the crew in the room. Luckily, though, footage from the “main event” is cut with backstage conversations between different pairings (or groupings) of participants. I think this was a great move as it provided some of that extra intimacy that was sacrificed with the inclusion of the live audience. I also enjoyed the one-on-one interviews, which gave the comedians a chance to further highlight their stories.
Oddly, for all of the serious and sad topics that come up in the film, one of the most emotional segments for me was Birbiglia discussing opening for and spending time with the late Mitch Hedberg. Ever since I first discovered Hedberg in high school, he has ranked as one of my favorite comics of all time. Thus, his death in 2005 was heartbreaking. Hearing Birbiglia’s experience with Hedberg resurfaced the sorrow of that loss — but also made me immediately want to revisit Hedberg’s classic comedy recordings.
Another standout for me was Okatsuka, who speaks about her experience handling her mother’s mental health issues. I also identified with Okatsuka when she admitted that she doesn't currently have a therapist and felt left out from the group as a result. Both of these factors brought a slightly different perspective that I appreciated.
All in all, as I suspected, I loved Group Therapy. Not only does the film provide a great spotlight for these outstanding comedians but it also supplies viewers with some important takeaways. Furthermore, the feature further helps to destigmatize mental health challenges and reassures audience members that they’re not alone in their struggles. And, if nothing else, it will have viewers laughing steadily throughout the film’s near 90-minute runtime. For all of those reasons, I hope Group Therapy lands a wide release ASAP.
Group Therapy premiered at the Tribeca Festival 2024. No other release information has been announced at this time.