Shrink (2009)
May 4th 2010 05:05
Kevin Spacey and dysfunctional behaviour, in some city. Although the city didn't matter, but the theme and the man were there, and so the thing was viewed.
The story centres on Henry Carter, a successful psychiatrist that helps the famous, who, throughout the film's duration, is going through a personal tragedy. Henry's wife has just committed suicide, and while he is ordinarily helping others, Henry is in lugubrious denial, becoming cynical over everything he thought he believed in.
Henry has taken to smoking loads of pot, dealt from a guy named Jesus, who looks like an albino version of Matt Damon. Jesus deals out of a pretty little case of pre-made joints, named anything from Christmas bon bons to emergency pot, the latter being laced with embalming fluid.
Throughout Henry's listless descent, the audience is taken into the lives of his clients, who are famous actors and porn star producers. It's through Henry's painful eyes that we see their dysfunctional world and self obsessed cries for help. Henry's path also crosses those of his clients friends, and a girl name Jemma (another dealing with a similar problem), who helps Henry and is helped in return.
This scenario of subnormality, coupled with a few sparks of hope, has been done many times before, and I can say that shrink doesn't contain anything new except possibly a convincingly older and more hagged looking Spacey. The tone of the film is flat and remains so throughout. If this film's pace was measured in radio waves, there would be no oscillation what so ever.
Spacey plays the same old character we have seen him in before, fairly well (as Mr Spacey's off days are still reasonable), however it really offers nothing to the imagination. Just an exhibition in wowlessness.
Characters that proved slightly amusing throughout, were Patrick (played by Dallas Roberts, who puts in the film's best performance) the wealthy germophobic producer, who takes to organising people to shit on other people's front porches, and Jesus, the placid albino pot dealing friend of Henry.
Shrink also contains Robin Williams, who plays a fairly short part as a man ostensibly addicted to sex, struggling to graduate into the world of fidelity. Williams does not shine here, mostly because he's not allowed to. In fact, none of the performances are particularly bad, they're just not given much room to move inside a story that is limited in both scope and imagination.
If you are an absolute die hard Kevin Spacey fan, then this one is worth a look. If you're not, save your money and buy a bar of Green and Blacks organic milk chocolate. You'll be more satisfied.
Two and a half sloppy bananas out of five.
The story centres on Henry Carter, a successful psychiatrist that helps the famous, who, throughout the film's duration, is going through a personal tragedy. Henry's wife has just committed suicide, and while he is ordinarily helping others, Henry is in lugubrious denial, becoming cynical over everything he thought he believed in.
Henry has taken to smoking loads of pot, dealt from a guy named Jesus, who looks like an albino version of Matt Damon. Jesus deals out of a pretty little case of pre-made joints, named anything from Christmas bon bons to emergency pot, the latter being laced with embalming fluid.
Throughout Henry's listless descent, the audience is taken into the lives of his clients, who are famous actors and porn star producers. It's through Henry's painful eyes that we see their dysfunctional world and self obsessed cries for help. Henry's path also crosses those of his clients friends, and a girl name Jemma (another dealing with a similar problem), who helps Henry and is helped in return.
Spacey plays the same old character we have seen him in before, fairly well (as Mr Spacey's off days are still reasonable), however it really offers nothing to the imagination. Just an exhibition in wowlessness.
Characters that proved slightly amusing throughout, were Patrick (played by Dallas Roberts, who puts in the film's best performance) the wealthy germophobic producer, who takes to organising people to shit on other people's front porches, and Jesus, the placid albino pot dealing friend of Henry.
Shrink also contains Robin Williams, who plays a fairly short part as a man ostensibly addicted to sex, struggling to graduate into the world of fidelity. Williams does not shine here, mostly because he's not allowed to. In fact, none of the performances are particularly bad, they're just not given much room to move inside a story that is limited in both scope and imagination.
If you are an absolute die hard Kevin Spacey fan, then this one is worth a look. If you're not, save your money and buy a bar of Green and Blacks organic milk chocolate. You'll be more satisfied.
Two and a half sloppy bananas out of five.
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