Parents' Guide to Fantasy Life

It's a strong effort toward normalizing mental health disorders, but Matthew Shear's dramedy is likely to leave viewers feeling anxious. Shear's Sam in Fantasy Life can be described, in the kindest of terms, as a sad sack who's struggling to keep his life afloat. Viewers see his mumbling, bumbling lack of confidence and the self-loathing antisemitic slurs that circle his brain. It's hard to say that there's anything encouraging about his character, other than that he seems like a really nice guy. Would a viewer with OCD or anxiety feel that there's hope for them based on watching Sam's interactions with the other characters? Probably not. And while his movie star employer may add a touch of glamour to anxiety and depression, let's be honest: Depicting the mental fragility of a wealthy White actress isn't particularly unusual—or helpful. Perhaps Dianne shows the humanity behind the diva-style behavior of famous entertainers, but since she hasn't had to struggle anywhere else in her life, ever, even if her grandparents did, viewers are less likely to feel compassion for her and more likely to play a tiny violin.

That said, Peet's performance is excellent and deserves praise. Unfortunately, it's absorbed into a film that isn't so much entertaining as it is annoying. Shear hopes that viewers will laugh with the characters in their attempt to manage their mental health, but, instead, it can feel trying. All of that said, Shear still deserves a cheer for putting something into the world that spotlights underrepresented communities and pushes against stereotypical gender roles—even if the story itself doesn't satisfy.