Jonah Hill’s documentary “Stutz” is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. He takes us on a journey of what therapy is, two people (or more) trying to figure out what is the problem and how to solve it, it’s not going to be easy nor quick (nor should it be).
At the beginning, we can see how Jonah tries to focus on his therapists but then, after two years of working on the movie, he realizes that he is lying to himself by not being open and vulnerable. So, after discussing this issue the movie turns into a mix of both of them just being open about their problems and it is just…beautiful.
In this film review I will talk about 3 tools which can help you improve your mental health. Stutz developed them during years of experience and uses them to treat his patients. Follow on for our review of “Stutz” the Netflix Film feat. Jonah Hill and His Therapist, Dr. Phil Stutz!
Pain, Uncertainty and Constant Work
The first step is to understand the following: You cannot avoid pain, uncertainty and constant work. As humans, we are not perfect and sometimes life hits us, and there is nothing we can do about it but to keep going.
It might sound sad but we all must work on ourselves constantly, we are not perfect, and even “perfection” is not a real concept, we must learn to love the process. This short lesson is more like a “reality check” which can help us keep our feet on the ground whilst opening our eyes to reality and ways to become better.
The Shadow Unveiled in Stutz
The “shadow” is a concept originated by Carl Jung who defined it as our “dark side”, which is repressed because of shame and societal norms. In the movie, Stutz sees the shadow as an important part to us that we don’t show to others, and which we want to hide no matter what, but by doing this, we hurt our shadow.
Jonah’s shadow was his past self, when he was younger with weight problems, he was ashamed of it, he started working and working, he took care of every single detail, and he became a perfectionist. He did this thinking that people would just talk about his work and not about him being overweight, but it failed. He took every single comment personally and people just didn’t stop talking about it.
Stutz made Hill talk with his shadow, apologize to it, and accept it, sounds silly and simple, right? Well, it is a very stark and shattering process – accepting your darkness and every single mistake you made is not easy but this will free us, and we’ll stop feeling victimized by ourselves, the world, or by anyone else.
To close this point, think about this: We all have a dark side and must learn how to control it, but what about people who claim they are “pure” and that they could never hurt anyone… can we truly trust those people? Are they telling the truth? The shadow is a fundamental part of ourselves, our whole, why do they not have one? What is more courageous, to be just pure, with darkness not even being an option, or to have the strength of free choice and still choose the right decision?
Reflect on that for a moment…
The Grateful Flow
Stutz said that when he was a kid, flying in a airplane for the first time, he could only see the grey clouds, but his father told him that once the plane is high enough, he would be able to see the clear, blue sky and the sun. He did not believe him, how could he? It was impossible, but then, there it was the blue, infinite and beautiful sky.
In discussing this lesson, we‘ll use the above story. When you are surrounded by negativity and bad thoughts, you must focus on the good, the things that make you smile, the little things… think about those small details. Force your mind and brain to recall and remember them (engrams and mantras) and then you will find yourself flying high in the clear, blue sky.
Stutz is an amazing professional and his knowledge, plus his sense of humor makes it easier to understand his wisdom as you begin love him and his character. These just were some of his wisdom nuggets. I encourage you to see the movie. It will make you reflect and see the world from a whole, different perspective. Hope you like this review and let us know which lesson you like the best!
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