The Shrink Is In (2001)

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Blistering performances.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It is amazing to me how many higher budget films are released with such an amount of hoopla, about nothing. It seems that critics have their favorite actors and whatever they are in, somehow makes the project they are reviewing great. The Shrink is in is a funny and sweet fantasy in which Courteney and David play parts which sum up their relationship. That is: Different, funny and loving. The plot, although not altogether plausible, works well because of the chemistry between the actors and the fast paced directing. Film budgets do not break or make a film. The Shrink is in is proof of that. "You've Got Mail" did not have anything over this film except a large studio budget. God bless the Indies.

Courtney Cox, Carol Kane and David Arquette were all victims of a badly written movie. They shouldn't get Oscar credit but they definitely made the best out of a bad situation. The virgin writers still have a lot of work to do.This movie was a canned romance. "Loser" woman assumes role of attractive professional to get the guy who's "unavailable" either through another relationship or because he would normally be out of the woman's league, all the while ignoring the supposed "loser" who is in love with her. She finally sees the light and the "loser" turns out to be a great guy and much more perfect than the person she was chasing to begin with.How many times has that been done? There is a reason this movie didn't release to US theaters; The revenues would not have been substantial enough to cover the release costs. There's also a reason its only on Oxygen. Its awful. It even ends with a beach scene with the two "losers" together!!! Sweep Sundance and Cannes? You gotta be kidding me. Release in North America is no prerequisite to being selected for Cannes or Sundance. The only prerequisite is that there is some talent displayed. It has to hit on all fronts to be considered and this one only hit because the three stars were passable against almost insurmountable odds. Those odds being the script.

The movie works. It's more witty than outragously funny. But it's pretty good escapist fare for those who seek a little wacky romance. Cox has pretty good comic timing (but we already knew this) and Arquette seems pretty likable (forget Ready to Rumble). There's a pretty decent supporting cast that have surprising comic talents.Check it out for yourself.

If only this film was released in North America, it would've gotten not only critically acclaim, but it would swept both the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals faster than you'd think.This movie was shot prior to the off-screen wedding of Courtney Cox (Arquette) and David Arquette in June of 1999, and was only released in Australia. If you have the Oxygen network on your cable system, you can see that film with the usual editing and commercials an average network would do.JAG viewers will recognize David James Elliot as Courtney's dream hunk with an annoying girlfriend who once worked as a Victoria's Secret model. David play's Henry, who's also after her heart.If The Shrink is In comes out onto North American theaters, then I'd be the first in line to see the movie, even if I have to tell every film critic that the film's a hit, then it IS a hit.