We see a set being built — walls put up to construct a makeshift therapist’s office. Some people walk onto the set and get prepped in makeup chairs. A small audience gathers and sits in an intimate space with chairs lined up in a circle. Neil Patrick Harris leads a few people — a group of comedians — inside the space, and as the comedians sit down and take their places, Harris, with a smile, addresses the room, “Well…who wants to start?” 

Filmmaker Neil Berkeley (Gilbert, TF 2017) returns to Tribeca with another nuanced exploration of comedy — a hilarious and surprisingly honest look at mental health through the testimonies from many of today’s most talented comic performers. Anchored by Harris as a moderator, Group Therapy foregrounds candid and humorous conversations between Mike Birbiglia, Nicole Byer, Gary Gulman, London Hughes, Tig Notaro and Atsuko Okatsuka. Berkeley implements a clever framing of this ensemble narrative as we listen in on the comedians bravely revealing the connections between their professional comedy journeys and mental health struggles. Toggling effectively between refreshing moments of levity and self-reflexive ruminations, Group Therapy is precise in its emotional nuance and its application of the comedians’ wit to tackle a necessary conversation on mental wellness.––Jose Rodriguez

After the Premiere Screening: A conversation with film subjects Tig Notaro, Mike Birbiglia, London Hughes, Gary Gulman and Atsuko Okatsuka.

Neil Berkeley