Stutz is a candid conversational documentary cum film involving Academy Award-nominated actor Jonah Hill (Moneyball, Wolf of the Wall Street) and his longtime therapist Phil Stutz. The docufilm has a running time of one hour and thirty-six minutes and is directed by the actor himself.
The documentary primarily features Jonah Hill and his therapist Phil Stutz, along with an appearance by Jonah’s mother. Furthermore, the docufilm is predominantly shot in black and white, except for a sequence where the actor gets real with the audience and his therapist.
-Stutz Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
The docufilm starts with Jonah Hill underlining the reason behind recording his conversation with professional therapist Dr Phil Stutz. The actor states that his therapist has a set of visual tools, that have helped him tremendously over the course of five years, in dealing with his issues about weight and personal loss. Now, he wants to share these tools, as a way of passing the beacon of hope, to whoever needs them the most.
At first, we are introduced to Phil, a 74-year-old man, with several tried and tested tools for initiating the force of life, along with the classic humour. Although he suffers from Parkinson’s disease, it doesn’t stop him from doing his job in a pitch-perfect manner.
Phil has an unconventional way of interacting with his patients. He believes that the age-old “observing as a third party” method of therapy is an absolute bullock, and one needs to engage with their patient, in a more intimate manner. He prefers giving them a set of tools, that will enforce some sort of the change in their painful and stuck life.
Both Jonah Hill and Dr Phil are completely vulnerable in this docufilm about love, loss and life. Morever, the Moneyball famed actor tries to get as real as possible and is definitely successful in the process. The entire experience is meditative and relaxing and promises to open doors for a deeper understanding of complex human relationships.
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I was in complete awe of the monologues, and the fast-paced ideas uttered by Dr Stutz. It almost felt like being a collaborative part of the whole exercise and perhaps learning a bit or two about myself. If that wasn’t enough, Mason Ramsey’s Lovesick blues playing in the background was enough to keep me engrossed with the experiment.
Usually, docufilms like these have a tendency to become superficial and pretentious. However, there is a segment which comes nearly at the start of the feature, where Jonah Hill consults Dr Stutz about his opinion of the movie. That’s where the therapist gets more involved with the filmmaking process and reveals the best approach forward. He advises Jonah to stay on the same track of disbelief, and continue with the thought process that they aren’t making anything perfect.
The entire conversation is blissful to hear and leaves you wondering about the idea of imperfection and continuity. Moreover, the level of comfort with which the therapist opens up about his personal life is raw and soothing to watch. At last, it is something that will stay with me for a long time.
Stutz Final Thoughts
This docufilm will leave you in a meditative state and perhaps induce a relaxing vibe. The entire experiment is honest, intimate and a must-watch for anyone looking to find some answers about themselves.
You can watch the docufilm on Netflix. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section below.
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