THE SHRINK IS IN

US, 2001, 87 minutes, Colour.
Courteney Cox, David Arquette, David James Elliott, Carol Kane, Kimberley Davies, Viola Davis, Jon Polito.
Directed by Richard Benjamin.

The Shrink Is In is a star vehicle for Courteney Cox after her long years on Friends. She co-stars with her husband, David Arquette.

The film was not well received and in many countries went straight to video or television. However, it is a kind of screwball comedy with Courteney Cox doing a variation on her Friends, Monica’s character. She is obsessive but finds herself having a breakdown – and, after her shrink (Carol Kane) has a breakdown, she is mistaken for the therapist. She gets entangled with her next-door neighbour, David James Elliott, manipulating him for her own concerns. However, an oddball character, Henry (David Arquette) keeps coming into her life and she finds herself relying more and more on him. Viola Davis plays a sympathetic friend. Jon Polito is a suicidal judge whom she and Henry are able to save.

Courteney Cox obviously enjoys herself in this role, has some good comic timing even if she is too often frantic. David Arquette, on the contrary, is rather laidback.

The film is full of sentiment, full of aphorisms which are wise about people and their problems and communicating with their psychiatrist.

1.A 21st century screwball comedy? Characters, situations, counselling and therapy? The mysterious millionaire?

2.Los Angeles, apartments, offices, hospitals? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?

3.The title, expectations, the tone? Doctor Rosenberg? Samantha taking her place?

4.The focus on Samantha, Courteney Cox’s presence? Dictating the way to the airport, her boyfriend leaving her? On the plane, her breakdown, getting off, in court, the collage, doing community service? Going to see Doctor Rosenberg? The discussions? Her friendship with Robin? Her not being able to travel, writing the articles without going to the countries? Her later exposure, her photographer, her being sacked? Her overhearing Michael and Isabelle, her curiosity? Going to see Doctor Rosenberg, her breakdown, helping her, Henry seeing her and mistaking her for Doctor Rosenberg? His return, his giving the magazines? Michael coming, her therapy, her suggestions, wise and his taking them seriously? Her listening in? The sexual encounter and its repercussions? Henry and his friendship? His counselling her? The situation with the judge on the ledge, her technique, going out, saving him, falling? Her becoming more and more involved? The build-up to the showdown, Michael, Isabelle coming to the office, Henry and his disillusionment? Her insulting Robin? Her arrest, her liking getting the sympathetic judge, her community service, her going back to see Doctor Rosenberg? Her visits to Doctor Rosenberg in the institution? Her motivation for keeping pretending?

5.Doctor Rosenberg, sympathetic, her breakdown, in the institution, her hallucinations, her advice to Samantha?

6.Michael, listening in to him, his relationship with Isabelle? Not able to sleep, talking with Samantha? Going for therapy, his listening to her words, repeating them, believing them, saying them to Isabelle? His being caught by Isabelle?

7.Henry, his singing in the lift, his appearance, hair, way of speaking? Singing? With the magazines? The gradual revelation that he was doing this for someone in an institution? His fascination with Samantha, unable to tell her that he loved her? His visits, the therapy, her dependence on him? The ledge, saving the judge? His bringing flowers, Michael telling Samantha how smitten Henry was? His disillusionment? The card from Belize, Samantha’s going and seeing him leave?

8.Robin, her friendship, good advice, her being insulted? Her knowing what was going on? Her going to therapy with her husband?

9.The judge, three weeks married, on the ledge, persuaded to come off? The irony of his hearing Samantha’s case?

10.Samantha, going to Belize, seeing Henry, the return, going to his office with her luggage, the revelation that he was a millionaire? The truth about him? His friend sending the card? The happy ending?

11.The wedding, the celebration and everybody happy?