Shrink was produced by Trigger Street, a company created by Kevin Spacey to seek out and develop the work of up-and-coming writers. It is no co-incidence that Kevin Spacey earmarks certain projects for himself to act in. This is fine, but for the times a role so infatuates a star actor/producer that they fail to notice the absence of plot in the script. By the exact midpoint of the film I could have left and wouldn’t have missed anything I didn’t predict thereafter.
The events of this film are ‘episodic’ (in that they do not *necessarily* occur because of the moment preceding, they could be jumbled up and it wouldn’t matter), which makes for a very easy film to turn off at any one of many points. Robin Williams has a far more interesting character in this film than the protagonist and delivers one of simplest performances of his career. And I mean that as a huge compliment. The rest of the cast are talented, natural and go through the motions. The Colin Farrell-type was a miscast and wasted character, but a virtuoso performance as Ari Gold-esque agent, played by Dallas Roberts, manages to rise above cliche-ridden scripted behaviorisms and add necessary levity to an otherwise unnecessarily dull film. I am surprised to discover that this is not the director’s debut. Such a film might score slightly higher points if it were directed by a rookie.
If films written by writers, about writers having existential crises and over-indulging in illicit substances is your thing, then Shrink will not only be up your alley, it will be parked in your driveway, burger grease on its lapel, smoking a big fat spliff. And I’m sure you’ll love it.
by Paul Barry
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