Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley’s documentary Paralyzed By Hope: A Maria Bamford Story is about, well, Maria Bamford. The film, as it does, connects her to other topics, like her family, the subject of her routine. She imitates their voices as well as the voices of archetypes that she turns into characters that feel specific. Despite her success as a comedian, she has the same struggles with her parents pertaining to mental health. Mental health is a touchy subject that she’s still able to use when she’s doing her standup comedy. The film, then, recalls her rollercoaster life, especially later on as her mother and her father pass away.

Most people inherit a lot of things from their parents, including the struggles one has mental health wise. Most people who really know me will know and if you don’t, you’ll know if you deserve the story. But enough about me – this documentary reminds me of this adage about the true father of insanity. That father, to me, is capitalism, which Paralyzed By obligatorily has to recall thanks to daddy Netflix. Talking heads like Patton Oswalt and Ted Sarandos (!?) recall how Comedians of Comedy helped Bamford’s perpetually ascendant career. But also, there’s gallows humour here as it recounts how Bamford’s biggest psychotic break came because of Target.

Apatow and Berkeley touch on these many sensitive topics in Paralyzed By Hope: A Maria Bamford Story. Cynical viewers, maybe, may chalk up the capitalism angle as accidental but I’ll chalk that up as intentional. I don’t know why I keep coming back to that topic even if it goes to her personal and romantic life.  One of the key moments here is the documentary introducing us to Bamford’s then husband Scott Marvel Cassidy. Sure, that subject comes with the usual stuff, like dating despite being Google-able. But also my mind keeps going back to her comedy routine where she talks about how Netflix treats him.

Suicidal ideation and mental health is what Bamford and Marvel Cassidy have in common and what drew them together. And I suppose that, despite Paralyzed By Hope’s usual documentary filmic techniques, it’s what made me love it. Most people have parents with mental health and societal struggles, and those same people experience things themselves too. The documentary’s specificity helps in this regard as well, showing things that Bamford struggles with through decades. During this decade, Bamford loses both her parents, and her house burns down because of the fires in Altadena. But of course, like most people who find silver linings, she finds humour and humour finds her.

Netflix is the only place to stream Paralyzed By Hope: A Maria Bamford Story. And I know that I’m a man in that I don’t seek help, but if there’s anyone who reads this and is struggling with suicidal ideation, you’re not alone. Resources are available in wannatalkaboutit.com