Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story

Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story
Directed byJudd Apatow
Neil Berkeley
Produced byJudd Apatow
Neil Berkeley
David Heiman
Amanda Rohlke
StarringMaria Bamford
CinematographyNeil Berkeley
Edited byJames Leche
Release date
  • January 22, 2026 (2026-01-22) (Sundance)
Running time
116 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story is a 2026 American documentary film which explores the life and career of comedian Maria Bamford. It was directed by Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley.[1][2]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of 16 critics' reviews are positive.[3] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on seven critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[4]

Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "[I]t's a good opportunity to fall in love with Maria Bamford if you're unfamiliar."[5]

Gregory Nussen of Screen Rant gave the film a score of 8 out of 10 and wrote that it "is an essential doc that reveals the origins of her singular voice with exceeding warmth and vulnerability."[6]

References

  1. ^ Carey, Matthew (December 11, 2025). "Documentary Super Directors, Super Producers Book Passage To Final Sundance In Park City; Brittney Griner, Billie Jean King Also Courted By Festival".
  2. ^ "Program Guide | 2025 Sundance Film Festival". festival.sundance.org.
  3. ^ "Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  4. ^ "Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story". Metacritic. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  5. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (January 22, 2026). "'Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story' Review: Solid Judd Apatow-Directed Doc Chronicles the Quirky Comic's Struggles and Triumphs". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  6. ^ Nussen, Gregory (January 2026). "Paralyzed By Hope: The Maria Bamford Story Review - Judd Apatow's Essential Portrait of a Singular Comic". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 23, 2026.