Hysteria is a breezy, feminist lark. Victorian doctors are befuddled by all manner of female complaints, which they lump together into the diagnosis of hysteria. One physician becomes popular when he pioneers pelvic massage as treatment. Who knew that rubbing their clitorises (clitorii?) made them happy?
Thankfully, director Tanya Wexler keeps the whole thing light. Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as a proto-feminist and High Dancy plays the doc who invented a proto-vibrator. Rising star Felicity Jone (Like Crazy) pulls off a secondary role.