‘The Stress Is Killing Me’ Review: Turning a Mid-Life Crisis Into Fun With Friends

Courtesy of Freestyle Digital Media

Eight successful friends from college. A nice, big house in New Mexico. One uninterrupted week of being able to work their dream job. Let’s just say the results are not what anybody expected. Whipping together a small-screen twenty-year reunion that is surprisingly buoyant with life, director Tom Carroll has created a charming little movie with The Stress is Killing Me. By playing people who are haphazardly trying out new careers and subsequently confronting problems that were buried a long time ago, the entire cast end up with delightful performances. This consistent, whimsical energy definitely helps the viewer feel as though they are surrounded by close friends.

It feels like a fun children’s movie in tone - but explicitly made relatable for adults. The group’s chemistry is also pleasantly believable. Besides a few fleeting moments where some sort of in-story payoff is involved (such as one trying to fool the other or a comedy spot is purposely over the top), none of the actors or actresses ever feel out of place in their roles. With a runtime of almost two hours, there is more than enough time to become acquainted with the eight forty-year-olds participating in this comical experiment. They all come to life with the help of Grayson Berry, Carly Christopher, April Hartman, Theron LaFountain, Barry Landers, Lisa Lucas, Matthew Page and Crystal Thomas. On paper, that sounds like a lot of people to keep up with. But Carroll - who is also the writer behind The Stress Is Killing Me - quickly constructs powerful characters by tethering them to their corresponding fantasy career.

For example, LaFountain’s Todd Boyd is a CPA turned priest. You will never forget this is the case as others always go to him for guidance and call him father. He also seemingly never takes off his comically, too-tight clerical collar. Lucas’ Marcie Wilson temporarily trades her nail salon job in order to become a sex therapist. Her “sessions” actually end up being the catalyst for two major plotlines. Other career switches tend to be leaning towards a comedic nature more than anything else like Christopher’s Kiki Martin having a new gig as a yoga instructor or Landers' Will Franklin - who becomes a chef. Even though some may become more important than others, this plot theme helps to make every single character stand out in some way.

At some point, you'll probably notice that The Stress Is Killing Me is entirely set in and around the rented villa. We do see characters come back from shopping every so often but the camerawork never leaves the property. While that is one of the unfortunate cons (isolating characters someplace else could have built stronger bonds) - each character’s personality and development is more than enough to distract from the thin setting. For the audience, each individual’s journey in this secluded villa is accompanied with a large dose of comedy (especially as they start their new careers). When the mood needs to come back to reality, there’s a few drops of sincerity in the right places. The childish humor and antics respectfully wear off when some of the friends need to claim responsibility or accountability for their own actions.

Just like every single program aimed at younger audiences, The Stress Is Killing Me does its best to send a valuable message too - and this is one that is rarely looked upon. That is, fantasies are fun but only for an allotted time. The real world is going to be calling soon enough. Such a statement is refreshing when so many other productions try to steer you away from your true ideals. Another moral that this movie leaves viewers with is that no matter how old you are - any sort of mistake you make shouldn’t bog you down. You’re always growing and you’re always learning. Even though the cliched ending ends up watering down the movie’s overall uniqueness, the film’s general escapade does teach our titular group that they are right where they’re supposed to be.

Technically speaking, The Stress Is Killing Me has a very inviting embrace. From the movie’s color palette to the font of the title - stepping into the University of New Mexico 20th reunion BBQ to watch these eight friends re-mingle is an entertaining experience. Could some of the relationships (and the problems that reside within them) have been brewed a little bit better? Jason and Kiki’s tumultuous relationship should’ve ended sooner (more time for another suitor - as the movie reveals later on). Both Sue and Todd should have had tense, emotional dialogue that led into the explosive, tit-for-tat arguments. Donna’s advances toward priesthood Paul could have been toned down a smidge. But director Tom Carroll’s most recent exploration into a bunch of old friends is still a mighty fun venture that should not be missed.

I will give The Stress Is Killing Me a 3 out of 5.

The Stress Is Killing Me is now available to stream on many services including Prime Video, Youtube TV, Sling and Fandango. More information about the film can be found at thestressiskillingme.com