Bad Therapy (2020)

Bad Therapy is the kind of darkly comic relationship movie that hooks you with a familiar premise—couples counseling—and then gleefully twists it into something sharper, funnier, and a little unnerving. Michaela Watkins is a wicked delight as Judy Small, projecting calm professionalism while letting little fractures of impulse and need flicker underneath, and the chemistry between Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry gives the marital sparring a grounded, painfully recognizable edge. The vibe is suburban-satire meets psychological cringe comedy: you’ll laugh, then immediately question why you laughed, as the film tightens its screws without leaning on cheap shocks. It’s not for everyone—there’s heavy profanity, lots of substance use, and some intense moments—but if you enjoy comedies with teeth and dramas that aren’t afraid to get messy, this one is an entertaining, nervy ride.

Bad Therapy is clearly aiming for a darkly funny, unsettling twist on couples counseling, with a great hook and a cast that should be able to sell both comedy and discomfort. The problem is it can’t seem to decide what it wants to be—satire, thriller, or domestic drama—so the tone lurches around and the pacing drains scenes of the tension they’re reaching for. Watkins, Silverstone, and Corddry are watchable, but the script doesn’t give them enough sharp material, and the manipulations start to feel repetitive rather than escalating. If you’re looking for a tight psychological ride or a genuinely clever dark comedy, this may frustrate you; if you can tolerate messy tonal swings for a few strong performances and a mean-spirited premise, you might still get something out of it.