“Out
for the count — a Hollywood
celebrity psychiatrist sets out on the
slippery slopes of alcoholism and
medication abuse after his wife dies
in the excellent movie Shrink; but
can a beautiful, troubled teenager
help him find himself again?”
THE LOSS OF HIS WIFE in a terrible tragedy affects Dr Henry Carter (Kevin
Spacey: American Beauty; The Men Who Stare At Goats; The Usual Suspects)
so badly that even his close friends and caring clients cannot save him from
a descent into alcoholism and drug abuse.
Henry is a brilliant psychiatrist with an A-list clientele that includes top
agent Patrick Silver (Dallas Roberts) who has OCD and whose long-suffering pregnant
PA Daisy (Pell James, who is also a co-producer) has unspoken ambition; famous
Hollywood actress Kate (the ever-watchable Saffron Burrows: Troy; The Bank
Job); and the wildly insecure Jeremy (Mark Webber), a writer who is also
the son of Henry's late wife's Godmother.
Disillusioned with his work and with life, Henry cannot bring himself to even
sleep in the bed he and his wife shared and instead spends long nights on a
lounger at the side of the swimming pool at his Hollywood Hills home with a
bottle for company. As his frame of mind becomes even more distorted his father,
Dr Robert Carter (Robert Loggia) and his friends offer help that includes booking
him into rehab, but that help is not received well at all.
Henry's book Happiness Now is at number seven in the bestseller list
but when he is interviewed on television for his new book, Stop Feeling Sad,
he goes to pieces and shreds it. The accidental death of his dog August adds
to his misery and there seems to be nothing anyone can do to stop him pitching
head-long into self-destruction.
He has taken on his first pro bono case, a beautiful teenager who is deeply
troubled by her own tragedy surrounding her mother's death. Jemma (Keke Palmer:
Akeelah And The Bee; Cleaner) desperately needs closure but can Henry
put his own problems behind him and make a difference to the life of this young
girl for whom he could be the only hope? And will easing her heartbreak be enough
to enable the doctor to get his own life back in order?
A challenging role for Kevin Spacey and one that he meets head on as the disturbed
Henry Carter. Keke Palmer plays Jemma with empathy and passion, giving another
dimension to Shrink as a bitter-sweet, raw drama with a serving of pathos
and a touch of comedy that explores the courage it takes to achieve happiness,
even in Hollywood.
Shrink is an unusual, sometimes uncomfortable but ultimately heartwarming
movie containing some strong and sexual language, drug and alcohol abuse. The
film also features: Jack Huston (The Twilight Saga; Eclipse; Outlander; Factory
Girl) as Shamus; Jesse Plemons as Jesus; Ada Luz Pla as the Teacher; Mel
Melancon as Miyu; and Sierra Aylina McClain as Carina.
Written by Thomas Moffett; Based On A Story by Henry Reardon; Produced by Michael
Burns, Braxton Pope (who also plays Braxton) and Dana Brunetti; Director of
Photography is Lucas Ettlin; Original Music is Composed by Brian Reitzell and
Ken Andrews; and Directed by Jonas Pate.
• Kevin Spacey stars as LA's top celebrity
psychiatrist in Shrink, the quirky drama with a touch of comedy that
is available to rent and own on DVD, courtesy of Lionsgate, on 26 July 2010.
Certificate: 15 | RRP: £12.99 | Running Time: 101 Minutes Approximately.
"Shrink… a bitter-sweet, raw drama with a serving of pathos and a touch
of comedy" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
"Sharp and edgy but with a touching warmth…" — Empire
“Out
for the count — a Hollywood