Group Therapy

By: Gladys Luna

What do you think would happen when a group of comedians gather together in a room? Well, whatever we might believe about it cannot be farther from the truth. In the film Group Therapy actor/comedians Tig Notaro, Mike Birbiglia, Atsuko Okatsuka, Gary Gulman, London Hughes and Nicole Byer meet in front of an audience for a good ninety-minute session where they discuss topics such as reality, mental illness, personal experiences and, of course, humor. The session is moderated by the talented Neil Patrick Harris who manages to conduct the comedians through a journey across their stories and how comedy has played the part of a beacon in their darkest times.

Watching the comedians leave their humoristic mask aside for a moment and embracing their deepest and scariest moments and vulnerabilities has created a bridge that connects with those in the audience, and it is undoubtedly a good testimonial of how, in the end, we are all humans trying to find our way home. Be ready to be taken through an emotional yet entertaining ride during this one hour and a half film that will show you that there’s always more than meets the eye – even to comedians.

Although each story was worth listening to and has its own curves, discovering Tig Notaro’s resilience as she narrated how she used one of her standup routines as a vehicle to make sense of her mother’s passing and how Gary Gulman described with an evident sadness reflected in his eyes and a broken voice how he used it to find the courage to pull himself together every night for just an hour and deliver the best performance he could while he was going through one of the darkest moments of his life. These were two of my favorite stories to hear and have also left me with a heavy heart.

Through the collection of interviews and face to face revelations, director Neil Berkeley has put together an exceptional, honest and raw film in which each of the comedians have presented themselves in a way that contrasts with the usual character often seen in their shows making us explore their own humanity. Even though the way he allowed the comedians to interact with one another and presented them under different environments was beneficial for a better understanding of this dynamic. I would have loved for him to explore the topics discussed during the group therapy a little deeper and I believe that something that might have added to the mix that would have granted the audience to participate by asking questions about the subjects discussed.

Group Therapy is a remarkable and diverse human exercise that will definitely make you connect with at least one of these individuals. It will also remind us that, in the words of Mike Birbiglia, “Whatever you’re feeling, you’re most likely not alone.” Needless to say, this film is an absolute must see.