Gary Gulman: The Great Depresh – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Gary Gulman: The Great Depresh

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2019

68%

WISE Score

100

Avg. Tomatometer

A comedian gets brutally honest about his depression—funny, raw, and genuinely helpful for understanding mental health.

100%

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Gary Gulman: The Great Depresh

movie

NR, 2019

68%

WISE Score

100

Avg. Tomatometer

A comedian gets brutally honest about his depression—funny, raw, and genuinely helpful for understanding mental health.

100%

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the deal: This isn't kids' content, and it's not trying to be. It's a thoughtful, funny, important stand-up special about a guy's battle with severe depression.

The WISE score reflects that it's excellent at what it does—it's enriching as hell, models healthy emotional processing, and has perfect critical reception—but it's not 'safe' in the sense that you'd want a 10-year-old wandering into it. It's HBO adult content about a serious mental health crisis.

For parents of older teens (15+) or for your own viewing, this is genuinely worth watching. Gulman makes mental illness accessible without making it a bummer, and in 2025 when teen mental health is a crisis, having content that normalizes therapy and getting help is valuable.

Just don't confuse this with family comedy night. It's more 'watch with your 16-year-old who's taking AP Psych' than 'Friday pizza movie.'

Age Fit

This is for adults and older teens (15+). It's not family viewing—the subject matter is mature and the format is adult stand-up comedy. But for parents of teens or adults interested in mental health, it's genuinely valuable and well-executed content.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Gulman models vulnerability and emotional honesty by openly discussing his depression, which is genuinely healthy modeling for audiences. He advocates for mental health treatment and therapy without shame. The tone is reflective and kind, praising Millennial anti-bullying attitudes. However, the subject matter is heavy (clinical depression, hospitalization) and some humor touches on darker themes, which limits the 'wholesome' ceiling for younger audiences.

Imaginative

Stand-up comedy format is inherently less imaginative than narrative storytelling—it's observational rather than world-building. Gulman does blend documentary interludes with stand-up, which shows creative structure, and his material on everyday topics (his mother's voice, sports, generational differences) offers fresh perspectives. But this isn't content that invites participation, exploration, or creative expression from viewers.

Safe

This is a mental health special about severe depression, including discussion of hospitalization and treatment. Common Sense Media rates it 15+. While there's no graphic violence, gore, or sexual content, the subject matter is emotionally intense and could be triggering for those dealing with mental health struggles. It's HBO, so expect some adult language. The content isn't 'unsafe' for its target audience (adults/older teens), but it's definitely not something a young child should stumble into.

Enriching

This is genuinely enriching content. Gulman destigmatizes mental illness, normalizes therapy, and provides insight into depression in an accessible, humorous way. The 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic score and 92% audience score reflect its impact. It builds empathy, offers meaningful perspective on masculinity and vulnerability, and could genuinely help viewers understand mental health better. The entertainment value is high (7.7 IMDb, 3.9 Letterboxd), and the personal growth potential is significant.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Destigmatizes mental illness and therapy in an accessible, humorous way that could help teens and adults understand depression better
Models healthy masculinity and emotional vulnerability—Gulman talks openly about getting help without shame
Perfect critical reception (100% RT) reflects its genuine impact and quality
Balances heavy subject matter with actual comedy—this isn't a depressing slog, it's thoughtful and entertaining
Great conversation starter for families with older teens about mental health, getting help, and breaking down stigma

⚠

What to Watch For

This is absolutely not for younger kids—it's about clinical depression, hospitalization, and adult life struggles
Expect HBO-level language and adult humor throughout
Could be triggering for viewers currently struggling with depression or mental health crises
It's a stand-up special, not a documentary—the format is one guy talking for an hour with some documentary segments

Conversation Starters

"Have you ever heard anyone talk about depression this openly before? What did you think?"
"Gulman talks about how hard it was to admit he needed help. Why do you think people struggle with that?"
"He praises your generation for being better about bullying and mental health. Do you see that in your school?"
"What did you think about how he described what depression actually feels like?"

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