breakdown movie

Kevin Spacey Stars in Imperfect L.A. Tale

It turns out they suffer a similar grief, but self-medicate in different ways. He smokes dope, while young Jemma indulges in repertory cinema. Yet, their scenes together are surprisingly well written and played scrupulously straight. Kevin Spacey never overplays the role of psychologist on the verge of a nervous breakdown, always tempering Carter’s self-destructive behavior with a sense of fundamental decency—which is refreshing. Likewise, Keke Palmer, recognizable as the lead in Akeelah and the Bee, plays another realistically smart, believably troubled teenager.While Shrink has some unexpected insight into the grieving process, the comedic Hollywood material hardly breaks any new ground. One of Carter’s patients is a germophobic power-agent. Now imagine the most obvious gags for such a character, and they’re probably in Shrink.

Hollywood is that strange place where cut-throat business meets new age psycho-babble. Yet, it must be somewhat self-aware, considering how often it satirizes itself and California’s other neurotic beautiful people in films like The Player, Bowfinger, L.A. Story, and Serial. While those are all far superior films, there are at least some stirrings of life to be found in that shopworn comedic genre, as is sometimes demonstrated by Jonas Pate’s Shrink.Dr. Henry Carter is a respected analyst to the stars and a best-selling self-help author. He is also a complete mess, smoking marijuana like a chimney to cope with his wife’s recent suicide. Most of his vapid Hollywood clientele deserve a shrink on autopilot, but he temporarily snaps out of his torpor when seeing a disturbed African American high school student pro bono.

Shrink is a highly uneven film. At its best, Spacey and Palmer play off each other honestly and directly. However, at other times, it seems like a shallow, glitzy tour of the Hollywood party scene. At least cinematographer Lukas Ettlin makes it all look pretty.

Though imperfect, Shrink exceeds expectations. It is most successful when it plays it straight, eschewing cynicism while trying to make real human connections. Maybe there’s some kind of self-help lesson in that. It opens in New York today (7/24) at the Sunshine and Chelsea 9 theaters.

Joe Bendel blogs on jazz and cultural issues at www.jbspins.blogspot.com and coordinated the Jazz Foundation of America's instrument-donation campaign for musicians displaced by Hurricane Katrina.