DVD Review

Shrink

Official Synopsis:

Shrink stars Kevin Spacey as Henry Carter, L.A.'s top celebrity psychiatrist with an A-list clientele, including a famous actress (Saffron Burrows), a wildly insecure young writer (Mark Webber), and an obsessive-compulsive super-agent (Dallas Roberts). Disillusioned with both his career and personal life, Henry's only hope of salvation could come from his first pro bono case, a beautiful but troubled teenage girl (Keke Palmer). But considering his present state of mind, is Henry ready for the real-life problems of someone who lives far from the Hollywood Hills? Featuring a well-matched cast at the top of their game, Shrink is a tart, funny, and uplifting film about the courage it takes to achieve happiness...even in Hollywood.

Our Take:

Shrink is the latest “true Hollywood” movie to hit DVD. It is the kind of movie (a la What Just Happened?) that takes the audience inside what it believes to be the real Hollywood scene. While not focusing primarily on the film industry, Shrink takes an inside look at the social scene of Hollywood through a collection of characters including a depressed celebrity psychiatrist (Kevin Spacey), a teenage girl obsessed with movies, a struggling screenwriter, a talent agent that is like Ari Gold-lite, and said agent’s pregnant personal assistant. As throwaway asides, two star actors join the crowded film: a washed-up once-great played by Robin Williams and his co-star in a recently released movie, a Colin Farrell-like lothario with self-worth issues.

If that sounds like a bit much for just a 97-minute film, you would be absolutely correct. Shrink is riddled with all too convenient, “everyone’s lives are connected somehow” (ala Crash) contrivances without any actual substance. By bringing the industry into the plot via an agent, his assistant, and two stars, the film at times feels like a less enjoyable, much more depressing Entourage. Without any discernable affability in this depressing cast of characters, viewers will begin to feel about as morose as Kevin Spacey, playing a disenchanted depressed pothead psychiatrist.

Special Features:

Lionsgate has brought Shrink to DVD on a single disc with an adequate amount of features:

Audio Commentary with Director Jonas Pate and Producer Braxton Pope
On-camera Interviews with Director Jonas Pate and Producer Braxton Pope (22 minutes)
Deleted Scenes (7 minutes)
“Here” by Jackson Browne Music Video
Theatrical Trailer

Conclusion:

Shrink clearly had some lofty goals in mind about telling a tale of dealing with grief, failure, love, fame, and frankly, just life in general. But, at a mere 97 minutes, this overcrowded script just pays lip service to these themes and feels like a shallow, trite film with Hallmark sentimentality that mistakes depression for reality.

Overall Picture:

Movie: C+
Extra Features: B-

- Matthew Orlando
Staff Writer