The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer

In odd & disappointing New York dark comedy "Psycho Therapy" struggling writer John Magaro (meh) is about to be divorced by fed up wife Britt Lower (excellent - the film's only bright aspect) when 'retired serial-killer' Steve Buscemi convinces him to collaborate on a serial-killer book. Cue a silly descent into farcical events involving Buscemi acting as the couple's unconventional marriage counsellor, Lower thinking Magaro's gonna kill her, a coupla kidnappings, and an ending so infuriating that it renders the whole messy sham pointless. If Turkish writer / director Tolga Karaçelik's first English-language film ends up as his last there'll probably be few complaints. It's a turd. Flush it.

Dark comedy done right.

I cannot stress this enough, but I have seen countless films who come with intent to depict dark comedy in its full glory but end up making a tonal mess of the tale. They either fail to execute humor or struggle with dramatic parts of the storyline.

This movie, however, balances all aspects quite competently.

Not only does it make you laugh when you are least expecting it, but the way it builds and then nurtures tension is also pretty commendable.

From quirky characters to their respective plot-lines, all things are conveyed well, though I did wish for more elaboration and a couple of twists and turns in the third act, felt like they cut it off prematurely.

The term point of view can have two meanings. First a point of view is literally a place of observation, a stationary or moving vantage from where the audience is invited to look. The other meaning of point of view is an attitude or mental perspective. Both are used to tell the vantage points and states of mind of the shows three main psychos. Poor Keane meant well for everyone, but his inability to read a room or shut-up has strip mined the love from his marriage. Kollmick, despite being a (retired) serial killer, also means well; he has a lot of respect for his nemeses at the Office of the Medical Examiners. Susie is the only one who means terrible.

What's the best way for a writer to find inspiration and save his marriage at the same time? Writer and Director Tolga Karaçelik answers that question in a dark comedy set in New York City, where the answer might just involve dodging traffic and serial killers.

Keane (John Magaro) is having a full-on midlife crisis: his book's stuck, his marriage's falling apart, and his wife, Suzie (Britt Lower) is barely hanging on after years of tolerating his endless whining. While Keane is driving home from a dinner party, Suzie yells at him that a light has turned green, knowing full well that it was still red nearly causing a fatal accident. This, apparently, is her idea of a midlife crisis cure-either that or she's just hoping for a one-way ticket out of this relationship. Keane ends up at a diner where he meets Kollmick (Steve Buscemi), a retired serial killer who's somehow offering both writing inspiration and marriage counseling-because, sure, why not? Only in New York. Magaro portrays a deeply introspective character, whose crippling neurosis and insecurity have him playing the part of a struggling writer with comedic swiftness.

Britt Lower hot off Apple's Severance absolutely owns her role as the bored wife, mixing devilish charm with exasperated sincerity. Her performance has the same chilling yet hilarious ironic energy as Dr. Lilith Sternin from Cheers-you know, the kind of woman who needs a reason to fall in love with her husband again... and maybe a drink.

And then there's Steve Buscemi. Who else could pull off the role of a retired serial killer with a pencil-thin John Waters mustache and still make you want to invite him over for a drink? Buscemi gives Kollmick a whimsical creepiness that makes you both laugh and cringe. Seriously, he's a national treasure at this point. As an actor, he has made his mark on indie cinema with an impressive list of films, including Reservoir Dogs (1992), In the Soup (1992), The Search for One-Eye Jimmy (1994), Living in Oblivion (1995), Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), The Imposters (1998), Ghost World (2001), and Delirious (2006). He also set the bar high with his directorial debut, the deeply personal Trees Lounge (1996), and went on to produce and direct countless episodes of peak TV, including The Sopranos, Oz, Nurse Jackie, 30 Rock, Portlandia, and Miracle Workers.

Natalie Kingston's cinematography brings the story to life, painting a vivid, almost haunting version of New York. From Brooklyn to Tribeca to Chinatown, the film is a love letter to the city, complete with the kind of atmospheric tension you'd expect from a Coen Brothers flick. In fact, the claustrophobic hotel with sweating wallpaper where Kollmick stays feels like something out of Barton Fink-just with a writer who actually listens to their creepy serial killer mentor.

Karaçelik has crafted a visually striking film that feels smart and fresh, and though there are plenty of Coen Brothers homages (hello, Blood Simple vibes), he'll keep you guessing until the very end. Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer-yes, the title's a mouthful and will definitely wreak havoc with metadata, but it's worth the ride And hey, if you catch a screening in NYC, who knows? Kollmick might just be sitting next to you, ready to pitch his next big idea for your novel.

A three-character story centered on a creatively blocked, soon-to-be-divorced writer who encounters a "retired" serial killer sounds like a killer concept, on paper. Unfortunately, this film squanders that premise with lackluster execution and a frustrating tonal imbalance.

Steve Buscemi and Britt Lower are the film's saving grace, doing their best to carry an off-kilter black comedy that never commits to being either dark enough or funny enough. The premise begs for something wild and twisted, but what we get feels muted and safe. The score stands out for its uniqueness.

The character of Kollmick (Buscemi) is woefully underdeveloped. We learn almost nothing about his past, and his interactions with the writer make no sense. Meanwhile, John Magaro's portrayal of Keane, the meek, indecisive writer, is not convincing.

The movie stumbles toward an anticlimactic ending that fails to resolve the story and ends on an unearned cliffhanger-clearly intentional, but entirely pointless.

This film unavoidably draws comparisons to Seven Psychopaths, watch it instead.