Old Friends, New Careers, and a Lot of Trouble

Read Time:4 Minute, 40 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Stress is Killing Me
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Genre: Comedy
Year Released: 2024, 2025
Runtime: 1h 43m
Director(s): Tom Carroll
Writer(s): Tom Carroll
Cast: Grayson Berry, Carly Christopher, April Hartman, Theron LaFountain, Barry Landers, Lisa Lucas, Matthew Page, Crystal Thomas
Where To Watch: in select theaters and digital and streaming release March 7, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: THE STRESS IS KILLING ME takes its premise and cranks it up to 11 with an exaggerated mid-life crisis experiment. A group of eight former college friends reconnect for their 20th reunion, only to decide that their current careers aren’t fulfilling enough. Their solution? Abandoning their jobs for a week to live out their dream professions, no matter how unqualified they may be. While the concept has plenty of potential for humor, the execution often leans more on far-fetched setups than organic laughs. It has charm in the right places but stumbles when it relies too much on implausibility rather than character-driven storytelling.

The film opens with a heavy dose of nostalgia—barbecues, games, laughter, and reminiscing. The initial chemistry between the cast sells the idea that these characters have a shared history, which makes it all the more baffling when they suddenly seem unaware of what anyone does for a living. This major setup issue stands out early on. The characters express dissatisfaction with their careers, yet this is the first time they’ve ever had this conversation. For a group of people who were supposedly close, this lack of awareness makes the premise feel more like a narrative shortcut than an earned revelation.

Once the dream-job experiment begins, things take a more absurd turn. Rather than exploring their passions in a way that makes sense, most characters dive headfirst into wildly unrealistic expectations. As a detective, the marketing manager expects instant success, failing to grasp that clients don’t appear out of thin air. A restaurant owner believes switching careers to sex therapy is as simple as deciding to do it. The comedy in these scenarios relies on the idea that these professionals have no real-world understanding of how careers function, which makes for exaggerated laughs but also makes the characters feel a little too clueless. A smarter approach would have been to balance the absurdity with more grounded moments that reflect the real struggles of career reinvention.

Despite these missteps, the film has several bright spots. There’s an undeniable comfort in watching old friends reconnect, even if their antics don’t always make sense. The best moments come from the interactions that feel natural—inside jokes that have lasted for decades, playful teasing, and the unspoken understanding that comes from knowing someone for years. The film finds genuine warmth when it leans into this dynamic rather than forcing over-the-top scenarios.

The cast delivers mixed results. Some performances bring a sense of authenticity that helps sell the humor, while others struggle with the more exaggerated nature of the script. Chemistry is key in ensemble comedies; while there are flashes of it here, it’s inconsistent. When the cast gels, the comedic timing lands. When it doesn’t, the humor feels forced.

The setting—a rented house where the friends spend the week—serves its purpose but lacks personality. Editing-wise, the pacing moves along, but there’s a missed opportunity to heighten the comedic energy in certain scenes. The direction, while competent, struggles to find the right balance between its broader humor and heartfelt moments, leading to tonal shifts that don’t always blend.

The heart of the story is relatable—the idea of questioning whether you’re truly happy in life, no matter how successful you might appear on the surface. However, the film often prioritizes its premise over exploring these emotions. A more nuanced approach that balanced comedy with real introspection could have given the story more weight.

Ultimately, THE STRESS IS KILLING ME is a comedy with a fun premise but a bumpy execution. It shines in its moments of genuine friendship, but the over-the-top humor and implausible character decisions hold it back from being truly effective. It’s an enjoyable watch for those looking for light comedy, but it could have been much stronger with a more refined approach. This concept could have resulted in something far more memorable.

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[photo courtesy of THE STRESS IS KILLING ME, HAWK HILL PICTURES]

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