STUTZ-Jonah Hill's Doc. How His Shrink Thinks

Most people wonder what goes on behind closed doors between a psychiatrist and his patient.  Acad. Award nominated actor Jonah Hill ('Moneybag' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street') tries his hand at documenting the machinations of psychiatry with an in depth biopic of his therapist, Dr. Phil Stutz.   Hill proffers the tools he learned for assuaging his anguish.  Hill's motivation is to share these self-empowering methods gleaned from his doctor and mentor, Dr. Stutz, one of the world's leading psychiatrists.  The mostly black/white doc. is filmed to feel as though it were shot in one marathon session in the Dr.'s book  laden office.  The candid and likable film portrays a mutual friendship and respect between the actor and his physiatrist.  Any preconceived notion on the nuts and bolts working of psychiatry as painful and grueling would seem debunked.  Rather, Dr. Stutz presents a safe haven from which he is committed to listening and offering immediate, pragmatic steps to easing one's despondency.  Perhaps, the film oversimplifies the process of psychiatry but it may serve to empower viewers how to focus their minds and bodies to access a sense of well-being.  The simple animation of diagrams and step takings demystifies a convoluted, ongoing dependency on guidance outside one's self.  However, the dynamic of a typical Dr./patient relationship is debunked by their comfort and fondness with each other.  Hill sought help for his low self-esteem being overweight despite having achieved success in his career.  He brings in a blown-up cut-out of himself to illustrate.  Hill's attractive onscreen appearance contrasts sharply with his cardboard replica. Reasons to seek psychiatry feel flimsy and a perk for the rich and famous whose egos require constant certification.  An ironic comment on therapy is made by Hill, "My friends offer me ridiculous advice when I just want them to listen and my psychiatrist just listens when I want him to tell me what to do."  The power of Hill's doc. come from his subject, Dr. Stutz, whose intellect, insights and life story are compelling.  Dr. Stutz is reminded by Hill to take his medication for his Parkinson's disease noticeable in his hand tremors.  Nonetheless, Dr. Stutz is a formidable and humorous human being whose compassion and strength are forthright.  Hill may have achieved his mission for sharing self-help steps for improving mental health for the masses.  Where he succeeds as a filmmaker comes from the biopic portion of his engaging pick.