Official Synopsis:
Hudson Milbank (Matthew Perry) is convinced that he's going insane. But he's just met the perfect girl (Lynn Collins, The Lake House) and struggles to be his most charming self. Meanwhile, he frantically seeks a cure for his anxieties and goes through a string of therapists who turn out to be crazier than him. Co-starring Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects) and Mary Steenburgen as a hilarious lusty psychiatrist, Numb will warm the heart of anybody who has ever teetered on the edge of a breakdown.
  
Our Take:

Numb is the autobiographical tale of writer/director Harris Goldberg.  It’s an endearing story of a man who meets not the perfect woman, but the perfect woman for him.  We watch him struggle with his mental state and try to make himself perfect for her as well.

Matthew Perry has created a nice niche for himself playing lovable neurotic characters and that is definitely the case in Numb.  I found myself conflicted between completely identifying with Hudson Milbank and wanting to smack him.  If you’re expecting to see a Chandler-like character, you’re looking in the wrong place.  This is a much darker role for Perry, and one he says in the commentary that is closest to his own life.

The supporting cast is also terrific.  Lynn Collins is adorable as the quirky Sara, and her monologue about what she wants in a relationship is heart wrenching and probably my favorite part of the whole movie.  Mary Steenburgen surprised me as the “lusty psychologist.”  Kevin Pollak is one of my favorite character actors and he definitely comes through in this film.

There’s lot great insight into how the film was made included on the disc:

* Numb: An Inside Look (19 minutes) - Features video interviews with actors Matthew Perry, Lynn Collins, Mary Steenburgen, Kevin Pollak, writer/director Harris Goldberg and more.

* Commentary with director Harris Goldberg.

* Theatrical trailer.

Numb is an enjoyable, albeit darker, romantic comedy.  Fans of Matthew Perry will not be disappointed.

Overall Picture:
Movie: B+
DVD: B-

- Marcia Keefe
Staff Writer