Shrink (2009) User Reviews (49)

Underrated movie

[K3nzit · 7/10 · 3 January 2020]

Kevin Spacey played the lead as a constantly high shrink with a tragic past in this drama/comedy. He didn't have a lot of screen time, but was brilliant. The stories of his patients were also a big part of the movie and they all linked together beautifully. 'Shrink' is an underrated movie with a good story and fine acting.

Note: Written in 2010

Shrink is not for the Phatom Menace crowd.

[RonniBrant · 8/10 · 12 December 2009]

This movie will not satisfy your endless hunger for car chases, explosions and over-the-top joke-every-nine-seconds sitcom dialog. Shrink is a subtly funny drama of depth with real characters in real pain, each coping in their own way. The directing is perfect. This picture called for downplayed artistry...and that's exactly what Jonas Pate delivered. He knew well enough to keep this film grounded and let the characters breathe. And speaking of the characters; they were all beautifully written and performed. I really wasn't familiar with most of the cast...but I felt they all did their character's justice. Spacey wasn't the only one that brought his A-game to the set. Shrink is not a bundle of excitement. It's a beautiful, touching movie that will be enjoyed by any adult with a taste for quality drama.

Great movie, bad directing?

[lorriebeauchamp · 7/10 · 19 November 2012]

I just caught this quirky movie on Netflix. Yet another exploration of the ennui that surrounds celebrity status, this is a great little gem that showcases Spacey's talents well. It came very close to being great, but stopped short, I suspect because of bad decisions in direction and editing. Characters were brought in (Robin Williams being one) for side stories which never quite connected to the main plot. Pot addiction is shown as a series of untimely naps, which is not realistic. The audience never gets a glimpse into the main character's despair, or the circumstances surrounding his wife's death. A love interest is developed and then never followed through. Characters walk in and out of the story without strong reasons. The ending is trite, as if they just needed to wrap it up. Too many loose ends, and a waste of some good talent. Nonetheless, because of Spacey (and a nod to the well-developed friendship with his drug dealer, that was fun to watch) I hung in there happily right to the end.

Disappointingly not engaging

[Gordon-11 · 19 September 2009]

This film is about a psychiatrist who fell into a mess of drug addiction and emotional turmoil after his wife's death.

"Shrink" could have been interesting, as it chronicles the healer's life being wounded. Acting is good, sets are nice and production is good too. However, the pacing is simply too slow. I also find the characters not so engaging. I view their lives, their pains and their struggles, but I don't feel for them. I just don't care about them. This lack of engagement kills the movie for me.

The strong cast and strong acting (especially by Kevin Spacey) failed to translate into a piece of touching cinema. It's a great pity.

Uneven, hectic plot - but well performed

[BeneCumb · 6/10 · 2 March 2013]

The plot is probably realistic, but as nothing catchy is happening most of the time, it becomes annoying soon; well, there are some twists, but they are not surprising or so - bearing in mind the past or present behavior of the characters and the things happened to them. The number of characters is very big and the level of their interlocking is difficult to monitor at times. The cast is strong, but Kevin Spacey's character (Dr. Henry Carter) is still most elaborated and visible on screen; however, it is not among the best roles Spacey has performed. Moreover, there are also good small supporting roles (Robin Williams as Jack Holden, Robert Loggia as Dr. Robert Carter, Henry's father).

I presume it is well accepted in the U.S. where seeing a shrink is almost a regular element of life and success. But the topic and the types were uninviting to me - although I tend to like Sundance movies.

Tell it to me straight, doc

[moviemanMA · 6/10 · 4 October 2009]

Shrink stars Kevin Spacey as Henry Carter, a psychiatrist who's fortune and fame just doesn't seem to matter any more after the loss of his wife. Now is the time to cope, and that is something that he just cannot deal with. Instead he goes into a downward spiral of self pity, denial, and drug use.

Basically it is going to take a lot for Dr. Carter to see what he is doing to himself. What unfolds is a Crash-like web of interweaving stories that end up coming together in the end. There is the agent, his taken for granted secretary, the up and coming movie star, the aging movie star, the drug dealer, the distracted and misguided teenager, the young, talented, and undiscovered writer, and of course, the shrink. I might have even missed a character or two.

This film means well. It has some good characters and a good direction of where it is going. The only problem is that it has too much going on. Films like Pulp Fiction and Crash have a lot of characters and subplots going on, but the material is so rich and powerful that is can support big twists, connections, and revelations. This film just doesn't have enough "umph" to get off the ground.

Spacey does a pretty decent job at portraying Dr. Carter. He is mostly deadpan and emotionless, with the exception of a few revealing scenes. Other than that he doesn't show off too much of his skill, just fulfills the role of his character. I was pleased with Robin Williams performance as the aging actor trying to find himself during a late mid-life crisis.

What would have made this film better would be to limit the number of stories going on, following just a few, or maybe even one. I think Spacey's conflict is enough to carry a film. It also would have given him more freedom to explore his character. There is a lot going on under the surface that we only get to see for a little while. I wanted more. I wanted something like in American Beauty where we get to see everything that the character has to offer. It's like watching the metamorphosis of a butterfly. Each stage is so defined and clearly labeled. Here we just see a few rises and falls, and that's about it.

It's a pretty run of the mill indie dramedy with a few laughs here, a few tears there, and nothing really outstanding going on otherwise. I wouldn't say avoid it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it. You will not need therapy after viewing this, that's for sure.

Well written and well made, but the plot is replaced with depressed characters

[napierslogs · 7/10 · 29 December 2010]

Kevin Spacey is the "Shrink", a pot-smoking, dejected L.A. therapist. Celebrities walk in and out of his office, leaving him even less caring. There is a fair amount of humour in the dialogue making all of the lonely, despondent people not quite as sad as they otherwise would be.

The plot should develop when he meets Jemma (Keke Palmer) a downcast teenager. She's the one that seems to tie in all the characters; the suffering screenwriter, the delusional executive, the pregnant assistant, the ageing actress, and the womanizing, alcoholic Robin Williams (I think he probably is playing his real self). It's an ensemble film with interweaving characters, but not much happens.

It gets interesting at the end, but they don't take the potential amusing conflicts anywhere, just giving the characters happier resolutions. "Shrink" is a well written, well made film, but the plot is replaced with depressed characters searching for just a little bit of meaning which the film is actually able to supply.

Help wanted

[bpetyniak-776-902226 · 7/10 · 6 February 2019]

Very interesting movie about people that lost sense, sense of everything. They don't feel pain, sympathy, love. They're Walking the streets like zombies without direction or need to engage on anything. Nobody can help them and they don't care. Psychiatrist is not able to help them but they don't ask for help or believe in it. He is not able to help himself as well. Beautiful play by Kevin Spacey. We see his metamorphosis from good looking, rich Hollywood therapist into wasted drug addict who denies his problems same like all his patience. Worth to see it.

Alternate Title (?) "LA-LA-Land's SHRINK to the STARS!"

[Tony-Kiss-Castillo · 9/10 · 1 August 2016]

From PASTO, COLOMBIA-Via: L. A. CA; CALI, COLOMBIA+ORLANDO, FL

Certainly, despite going uncredited here, Los Angeles is a silent partner in SHRINK, since it couldn't possibly have been set in any other place on earth, where "Dysfunctional" seems to be more the norm than the exception, when it comes to family, as well as to interpersonal and intra-personal, relationships! SHRINK can mean many different things to many different people in many different situations. That's an answer many Shrinks would be absolutely intrigued by; especially our conflicted anti-hero in this Kevin Spacey vehicle!

For IMDb Reviewers SHRINK is just about as close to perfect as it gets: Writers, especially the "Screen-" variety, of every stripe abound: Ex-, failed, latent, undiscovered, washed-up, wannabes and hacks; they're all here. Hey! Aren't WE all writers? Wouldn't most of us love a crack at writing a screenplay with major backing? Acting, as well as producing, also find their way into SHRINK. Of course, the 800 pound Gorilla in the room here is Kevin Spacey, in a tailor-made, tour de force role as the somewhat self-absorbed, teetering-on-the-brink, grief-stricken, performance-impaired, celebrity Author/Shrink. His rendering merits 9*. Yet what surprises me most about SHRINK is the quality of the ensemble performance, by a relatively unknown cast.

WOW! Director Jonas Pate, (His 3rd go in the Director's Chair, his first in 12 years!) certainly managed to get the very best out of his cast! Keke Palmer (AKEELAH and the BEE, remember?) has morphed from elementary school girl to high school student, and turns in a gifted, natural-as-can-be performance. Remember her name...We'll be hearing it a lot in coming years! Dallas Roberts is exquisite as the Uber-neurotic agent/production exec. His "I'm Afraid of Everything!" monologue is Oscar-worthy! There are others who deserve mention, but I want to leave some things to you! A few flaws, but willing to overlook them. .. 9*.... ENJOY/DISFRUTELA!

Get Carter

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 16 August 2009]

A Hollywood psychiatrist, Henry Carter, is in dire need of help himself. One wonders how this pot smoking therapist could even be treating patients that are really screwed up. Not only that, he has written a book that is a 'must read', according to people that know. Carter is going through a rough period in his life because he is wounded man suffering after his wife committed suicide. Even his father's advice has any effect in him.

Dr. Carter's patients are a mixed lot. The gorgeous actress Kate Amberson can't cope with an obsession about growing old in a town that doesn't forgive anyone for doing so. There is Patrick, an agent with an elite clientele who is a hypochondriac with a compulsive disorder. Jack another actor, has a drinking problem and a sexual addiction. The young black teenager, Jemma, is recovering from a family tragedy. One can help wondering how can a man that needs all the help himself be objective in treating these assorted characters.

Jonas Pate, the director, working on the screenplay by Thomas Moffett, takes the viewer into that rarefied world of wounded people who aren't dealing with reality. Lucas Ettlin and Isaac Phillips cinematography does wonders to add to the atmosphere of the film. Brian Reitzell original score works well.

Kevin Spacey, one of the best actors of his generation, tends to surprise us with his choices of films roles, not always as good as he deserves. His Henry Carter is not one of his best creations, but it's impossible to ignore him whenever he appears on the screen. Dallas Roberts brings to life his character. Saffron Burrows makes a case for her aging actress. Robin Williams and Gore Vidal make cameo appearances.

One can only hope never to be treated by a shrink like Henry Carter though!

Interesting start, mediocre middle and a disappointing end.

[badoli · 5/10 · 14 February 2010]

Sadly, when i see Kevin Spacey in a such serious movie, i instantly start comparing that movie to "American Beauty" or "L.A. Confidential". But this film doesn't even need great examples to underwhelm.

It starts off really well, setting the mood of desperation nice and subtle with well thought-out scenes defining the character of Henry Carter as a tragic shrink doubting sense in life and his ability in helping people. Alas, it doesn't last. Too many characters are introduced, too often the movie jumps around back and forth, too abrupt and radical the atmosphere of the movie changes. For example: As much as i like Robin Williams, but what purpose had his character in this movie? It just added another storyline distracting from the main story of the movie.

The saddest part is the finish though. I did expect a twist to solve the whole situation, but this superficial solution just left me speechless. I felt angry that i felt sympathy for the protagonists! A Hollywood flick has to end good of course, i understand that. But come on, after an hour into it all the people tune from dark and desperation to joy and happiness thanks to the best script of the world? Only writers can seriously come up with that! Not even the brilliant Kevin Spacey can convince me of that nonsense.

Underrated. Brilliant, Simple, Real.

[NewSkol · 9/10 · 2 December 2009]

If you are an IMDb addict like myself who has set himself or herself strict guidelines as to the minimum score and/or number of votes, then this movie is one of those films that are underrated. Personally, I broke my rule of a minimum of 7.0 rating due to the fact that Kevin Spacey was in the picture. Very glad I did so. In fact, I am going to cancel all rulings based on this movie alone.

Before I go on, I must say that it is understandable why the movie is underrated. The movie develops at a slower pace than what the average movie fan is used to and it definitely lacks the suspense moments, action, thrills and so on. However it has so much more to compensate for it. Intricate character development, superb acting, deep and very well though through screenplay and dialogues, makes this movie a brilliant and yet simple unique creation.

It makes you think about your own lives, the lives of those around you. Everybody has got problems, everyone has got issues, its not just on the big screen. Often, the stories of those around you are far more profound than what you see on the screen. The screenplays and movies have tried nearly every possible scenario, every possible plot. Directors and screenwriters, alike, try to deliver ever more complicated and twisted plots that the movie watchers would be surprised by. This movie strikes all that, it forgets Hollywood and delivers something unique and true to humanity. It brings you down to earth and sheds light into the lives of those around you, on something that happens to a lot of us, everyday.

As always, Kevin Spacey delivers a top notch performance. This is the movie that you would want to see more than once, maybe it is one of those movies that you would be willing to watch twice… in a row. I believe that there is something to be found in this movie upon each new time that you watch it. It is definitely one of the best movies in the past year or so. Simply brilliant.

not suitable for top 100 cos not suitable for everyone

[fraghera · 7/10 · 31 July 2011]

There are some different kind of movies who touches your heart, this is one of them.

While I was watching it I see some pieces of myself out there. Im interesting in psychology too, so if u like psychology this is a "must see movie" for you.

On the other hand Kevin Spacey is great as always he do. Cast is perfect. You can easily watch it without bored till the end even if you have no info about psychology stuff cos its nearly real life.

You gonna see how a beautiful young girl turns on a star and the other things. There is no nudity so you can watch it with all your family and this movie comes with cool ideas for young people especially having trouble with school.

If you are in depressive condition or just not feel happy for a long time, maybe this movie gonna be a good choice for you.

A whole lot of nothing going on.....

[mjk280 · 5/10 · 15 December 2009]

This movie has some very good elements going for it, but for me it never comes together in a nice crescendo. Kevin Spacey is very good in my opinion, with a more honest performance that isn't too much like his usual Spacey-ness (you know what I mean if you've seen him in other movies). The rest of the cast is fine too and there's a good bit going on in the movie.

The problem I had was that it seems like it takes forever for anything to happen (and it pretty much doesn't until the very end). There's SO much heavy dialogue followed by solemn stares by the characters that at first you don't mind it because you know it's an emotional film going in, but eventually you just get fed up and can't stop thinking when something, anything will take a dramatic turn.

Unfortunately it just didn't cut it for me. It's not a horrible film by any means, but not quite worth watching in my opinion. With some snappier dialogue or a tighter pace I probably would have really enjoyed it.

Dreams and desperation in L.A

[imdbbl · 15 September 2009]

Kevin Spacey plays Henry Carter,a very famous and successful shrink,practicing in Hollywood, with a very extensive celebrity clientèle.With 2 self help books published,Carter seems to have it all figured it out but these days he's the one who needs help. Unable to cop with his wife's suicide Carter has been self-medicating with marijuana falling into a depressive state. Jemma is a young girl who's mother committed suicide as well.She doesn't understand why and develops an angry behavior.The school sent her to carter for some therapy sections.Then we have several secondary characters, Kate Amberson, an actress past her prime,Jeremy, a young writer trying to come up with a good script,Patrick, a successful and ruthless Hollywood agent who suffers from paranoia and anxiety,Shamus,a young actor who wants to do meaningful films and be taken seriously,Daisy who is Patrick's assistant,Holden,one of Carter's patients who is an alcoholic and Keira, an actress who's sleeping her way trough Hollywood.Shrink is an amazing movie.All the story-lines are obviously intertwined but in a very subtle way (not like crash).The characters are very human and none of them is two-dimensional.They were all well written and their stories were well explored. Each one is memorable in their own way.Kevin Spacey is absolutely fantastic as Carter and so is Dallas Roberts as the eccentric Hollywood agent. The musical score couldn't be better, beautiful slow melodies that compliment the movie perfectly. Shrink is a subtle movie,it doesn't try to hard to grab your attention but it certainly does.I wonder why this movie hasn't been talked about a little more. Shrink is small in hype but big in quality.

8/10

Entertaining drama and at times funny

[ivansopas · 7/10 · 23 March 2021]

Interesting film, very well acted, different stories that intersect, it was fun for me to be a drama, in particular the acting improvisations and many other scenes that are almost comedy. Don't expect to laugh, but it's not a depressing drama. It is more than bearable, it is acceptable.

Great Film

[mellowinman · 7/10 · 7 April 2012]

I gave it a 7, just because it's not a big film; it's not an ambitious film; it's not a "perfect" film; it's just a great film.

Kevin Spacey is fantastic. The writing is very good, and the direction is, well, different. I kept expecting it to disappoint me, and then it never really did. It's not for everybody.

The reason I liked it so much is that I thought all the acting was so very good. I like to see actors give subtle performances, and I thought every single one of them did here. No one was anything less than fantastic.

The film was touching, without being overly sentimental. I never felt manipulated by the filmmakers. I just felt like it got reinforced that we all have our flaws, and that we can overcome those flaws. It reminded me that people I might not like very much might have some good qualities, regardless of whether or not I approve of them.

And it just made me think there is hope, and I can never give less than seven stars to a film that does that.

Every Day, In Every Way,They're Getting Better (or are they?)

[druid333-2 · 8/10 · 1 September 2009]

This is one of those oddball films that despite the fact that it boasts a fine cast,it somehow manages to slip between the cracks (at least in distribution terms). Shrink concerns a cadre of Los Angelas head cases,searching for some kind of better meaning in life. Kevin Spacey is Henry Carter,a successful psychologist,who has written a best selling self help book who's own life is crying out for meaning. His wife committed suicide the year before,and he seeks solace by medicating himself with Marijuana,and has all but given up on his own patients. Keke Palmer is Jemma,an angry high school student who is sent to Henry,but opts to hide out in the movies,day after day (she wants to be a film maker,herself). Mark Webber is Jeremy,Henry's friend,who is taking an interest in Jemma (but mostly as a friend). Add the likes of Saffron Burrows (Fay Grim,Time Codes,and not nearly seen enough in films as she deserves),is Kate,Henry's neighbor,and oddly enough,Robin Williams as Holdin,one of Henry's patients,and it all comes together in an uneven,but not unwatchable drama/comedy. Director Jonas Pate,moving up from producing and/or directing for television,makes the most of Thomas Moffett's script about screwed up Los Angelas arch types. Not rated by the MPAA,but contains pervasive pot smoking,raunchy language & adult situations.

A movie that reinforces the sad reality of life for many in L.A.

[jeffrey4949 · 3/10 · 30 September 2009]

The plot is simple and well tried - a group of seemingly unconnected people become connected for good or for bad by means of a common denominator - in this case Kevin Spacey, who is a 'Shrink to the Stars'; but a shrink who himself is so lost through the death of his wife that he himself can't cope. He needs more help than they do. Even his father, who is... yes, you guessed it... a shrink, can't seem to do much to help.

The movie is set in L.A. and does a great job in reinforcing the picture that the rest of the world has about many people in L.A. (especially those who are Hollywood connected), who seem always to be wallowing in a mix of self-pity and helplessness, and who are dependent on drugs and shrinks (or should that be shrinks who are themselves dependent on something or somebody else?).

I don't rate 'SHRINK'. Kevin does his very best to deliver weak lines and he must have been fed up that the director could only think to show how screwed up he was by making him either slump in a chair for hours endlessly puffing on cigarettes and marijuana, or sitting for days in car with a low life drug pusher gaining buying both more drugs and homespun therapy. In fact the director struggles throughout to make something of this script and screen play. Probably because he is tasked with showing people having problems who really don't have any bigger problems than millions of others around the world in or outside L.A. Robin Williams appears in a cameo role as... well himself, as far as I could tell. His appearance adds no weight to the movie whatsoever (in fact the opposite) and the producers should have saved his fees and given a less well known actor a chance. The feel-good ending is nothing more than a convenient way to finish. No. The director of SHRINK should not be too proud of himself. As a movie, Shrink fails to deliver any meaningfull story or memorable experience. The only smiley aspect of the whole production was the movie producer character who is paranoid over cleanliness and calamity. That added a light humorous touch, but it was not enough to redeem the director in general and he should never be forgiven for the unimaginative way he handled the 'kicking over the motorcycle' scene. Even my parrot knew that was coming.

Shrink fails to convince the viewer that anyone in the story has such a serious problem that can't be solved by sipping a nice cup of tea and chatting with a sensible friend.

Watch it but don't expect too much.

Overflowing with great performances and multi-pronged plot lines

[secondtake · 9/10 · 31 January 2011]

Shrink (2009)

We know the joke that is no joke at all--psychiatrists are the ones who need the help.

The rest of the cast needs help, too, but Kevin Spacey is a perfectly dour, complex, troubled, and rather smart shrink. And if his performance is nuanced and powerful in an undramatic way, the large supporting cast is exceptional, too. Exceptional. There might be issues with the neat ending, or with some of the motivations here and there, but there is so much going on within this clearly deceptive world of Hollywood insiders and outsiders, almost anything goes.

This is director Jonas Pate's first feature, after many t.v. episodes and some music video. That he coordinated such an involved plot, and made it look good, is impressive. That he got such an array of actors to be their idiosyncratic selves without too much strain and affectation is also impressive. It might help that I expected an ordinary film and found it extraordinary. It has an echo in many ways of "Short Cuts" and in many ways equals it, though that 1993 film had nothing but the highest expectations (Robert Altman directing, based on Raymond Carver stories). "Shrink" is refreshing in how it approaches Hollywood peripherally--not through a producer's office and some actors looking to make it, but through this psychiatrist who treats Hollywood's elite.

There might be a sense, especially at first, that there is no clear direction to the plot. But that's a matter of having so many pieces, and they haven't started fitting together. I found each subplot engaging enough to lead me along quite happily right away. And so when it got more integrated, and the stakes of the characters were raised, the whole just got better and better.

I'm not sure how this slipped by everyone's attention. Don't let it slip yours.

Boring, disappointing, yawn

[maggie-mc · 3/10 · 28 February 2010]

I can honestly say this was a very dull movie. It's not often I fall asleep watching a movie, but this was one of them. I am a huge Kevin Spacey fan and was main reason I decided to continue to watch after the first 30 minutes. Shortly after that time, my son fell asleep, then the spouse, then myself. I felt Kevin was wasted in this role and was miscast. I found him neither likable or dislike-able, just bored and bland. The story and scenes were disjointed and I found it didn't go anywhere for a LONG time. I would have liked to have seen more reference to the reason why the character was so detached from life. If you see this on the shelf, give it a miss!!

Very, very memorable example of filmmaking

[christianvillagomez · 9/10 · 12 September 2010]

First of all I've been very aware of how critics gave this film lackluster reviews yet I beg to differ, and thankfully so do most people rating this on IMDb. It's essentially a Hollywood dramedy revolving around the couple of individual lives including Dr. Henry Carter played oh so charismatically and sharply by Kevin Spacey with many other characters such as Jeremy, an ongoing writer played by Mark Webber and Jemma: an emotionally struggling teenager girl played by the very identifiable star Keke Palmer. Be aware though, I watched this on T.V and was very close to passing this up due to it's not-so-appealing 2/4 star rating on Dish but I really felt like I needed to see this at least once due to its interesting premise and after watching it I was proud to say to myself that it exceeded beyond any short-term expectations I may have had for it at the moment. The most identifiable trait that really characterized it is that it may be just over an hour-and-a-half but it feels just over 2 hours, most people would assume that's a bad thing and would immediately go on to bash it for its slow pace, I prefer to call it STEADY pacing since the characterizations are done so right considering director Jonas Pate's very realistic and, should I say, very TRANQUIL style. You really hang on throughout this whole journey of a movie embracing what next step each of these people have to face in their lives and I couldn't help but feel satisfied by the end of the movie, which is indeed the sure plus way of knowing it was a good movie wait, change that: a fantastic movie.

All that acting for this script??

[ozytheoz · 5/10 · 4 June 2010]

I love Kevin Spacey and believe he is more talented than just an actor. He has done his job for this movie and I wouldn't finish watching the movie if it wasn't for him. This movie has no script that pulls the attention of the viewer. It's just a compressed version of an ordinary TV series. This girl assigned for that shrink by the school, shrinks patient is a movie producer and his friend is a broke writer and they all find themselves interconnected throughout the movie.. What is this crap? Please be more creative, I would give a D grade if this script was handed in to me for screen writing class. Please do not shoot movies just because the right actors are hired. Read the script and get objective criticism first..

Lifestyles of the rich & stoned!

[NestorTheGreat · 8/10 · 22 June 2021]

First World problems of pathetic, rich, Hollywood wannabes. How many ways can too much money, time and addictions affect a middle-aged white man? Well this Shrink knows them all, and can actually speak from experience! Apart from naming every film dealing with the sane type of fools, the who's who cast turn eccentric up to 11, while the Shrink turns selfpity up to 12! Having said that, this film is quite a guilty pleasure to watch, thinking your life ain't half bad compared to that jungle! It's also about the circle of life (or lack thereof) of filmmaking in L. A. From film-loving-wannabe-filmmaker to agent to actor to the Shrink to the stars, all portrayed without gloss or filter. The connections these humans make change them and therein lies the gem of this moving film!

Yet another L.A. Suicide Flic

[theoryneutral · 1/10 · 9 November 2009]

As the title may suggest, this is just another film that follows around the very depressing lives of L.A. residents.

Add 2 suicides to the mix, an OCD manager and a pregnant secretary, and you've got 'Shrink'.

The problem here is that what we've got is not a genre but the same movie being made over and over again.

Here is the formula:

Depressed L.A. residents as protagonists who feel like utter failures because that is exactly what they are

+

A couple of tragedies to explain the depression (how does that make following these characters around any more interesting?)

+

Flirtation with the idea of character bonding and development, but falling short.

We get it. It's reality. But we don't go to the movies for reality now, do we?