MUMFORD

"Mumford" is writer/director Lawrence Kasdan's second best picture! I know I'll probably catch some flak for saying this, but I still think "Body Heat" is his best. "The Big Chill" is the one regarded as a classic. It never did as much for me as the earlier college radical reunion flick, "Return of the Secaucus Seven" by John Sayles. I could never get beyond the star thing and take the picture seriously. Sayles' movie is still more interesting to me because it succeeded in garnishing an Oscar nomination for its screenplay without a single star. Although "Mumford" has a few veterans of other Kasdan movies, the lead roles are played by less prominent actors. This anonymity creates an intimacy that might not otherwise exist. It also reinforces the notion that for a movie to work, the story must come first. This is as basic as the delicate relationship between therapist and patient, an essential element of "Mumford."

Mumford is a therapist who has the uncanny ability to make his patients feel good about themselves. Nobody knows where he came from, or what is in his heart. All they know is, they're happy he came to their town - also called Mumford - and he listens. He listens to Althea Brocket (Mary McDonnell), a compulsive buyer of designer goods - Henry Follett (Pruitt Taylor Vince), an overweight pharmacist with an inferiority complex and a vivid fantasy life - and Nessa Watkins (Zooey Deschanel), a self destructive teen. He doesn't listen to Lionel Dillard ( Martin Short), a lawyer who senses something fishy about the doc's technique. Dillard enlists the aid of Mumford's fellow practitioners to investigate his past. One of them recognizes the simplicity of Mumford's approach and succumbs to his spell. Complications arise when Mumford falls in love with Sofie Crisp ( Hope Davis), a reluctant patient. "Mumford"s plot is simple, but the feelings it evokes are not. It's not easy to smile from ear to ear for the duration of a movie and still be moved, but that's just what happened when I saw "Mumford."

The charm of "Mumford" is in Kasdan's astute observations of the human condition as seen through Mumford's eyes. Sooner or later, everyone has to try and solve their own problems, even Mumford. When the town's major employer, Skip Skipperton (Jason Lee) seeks Mumford's help on the sly, Mumford recognizes a kindred spirit and begins to confide in him. They share the same feelings of isolation and loneliness. The drama comes from Mumford's crisis of conscience. If he reveals his embittered past, he could be ruined. If he doesn't, he could lose the girl of his dreams. The answer to his dilemma proves to be as simple as turning on the TV set.

Lawrence Kasdan's has created a modern day fairytale complete with heroes and demons. Mumford gives his clients the tools to slay their dragons, while they give him a reason for living. So, if you're in a funk, and need something to pick you up, treat yourself to a therapeutic dose of "Mumford." It's good for 'what ails ya!'

Copyright 1999

Some other movies with a head doctor

"Freud" (1962) - Director John Huston's mesmerizing account of the good doctor's early years and the development of his theories. With Montgomery Clift in the title role. Beware the cut version.

"The President's Analyst" (1967) - Released while the James Bond craze still ran at a fever pitch. James Coburn is the title character who quits his job only to be hounded by the President's enemies, both within and outside the U.S. Government. Suspense and satire work hand in hand to make this a one of a kind movie.

"Mine Own Executioner" (1947) - Burgess Meredith is a psychiatrist who lets his personal problems get in the way of his healing powers, especially with a mentally ill P.O.W. Thoughtful and provocative for its time.

One from Loren Dean

"Gattaca" (1997) - Dean is the gene perfect brother who doesn't have the right stuff to go the distance. Ethan Hawke does in this Brave New World influenced futuristic gem. This is a personal favorite despite the thriller aspects that detract from it's all important theme of self determination.

One from Hope Davis