Sensitivity Training

Sensitivity Training (2016) was written and directed by Melissa Finell. It stars Anna Lise Phillips as Dr. Serena Wolfe, and Jill E. Alexander as Caroline, as her sensitivity coach.

If the title of a movie is "Sensitivity Training," you know that someone is going to need such training, and someone is going to provide the training. This part of the movie is predictable.

Serena is a brilliant biological researcher, but she is abrasive, short-tempered, and generally hateful. The lab director insists that she take sensitivity training, which, of course, she doesn't think she needs.

Enter Caroline, who also has a doctorate, and who really is a good sensitivity coach. She's upbeat, funny, capable, and sincere in her efforts to help her clients.

You can pretty much predict the rest of the movie. However, what you can't predict is just how funny--and moving--a predictable film can be. We laughed all through the film, and there really was a message to be learned as well.

The two leads played off very well against each other. They are both talented, and the chemistry was there. It was a pleasure to watch them interact.

We saw this film in Rochester's excellent Little Theatre, as part of ImageOut, the LGBT Film Festival. It will work well on the small screen.

Sensitivity Training is very ..sensitive to exhibiting some great acting, subtle & realistic. The scripting is brilliant and mostly subdued. Instead of hammed-up acting with exaggerated facial expressions and over-the-top body language, the actors and director presented a very realistic, mostly low-key range of emotions, combined with often deadpan humor, to tell a likeable and emotionally involving story.

A really great show!

As an introvert, I absolutely love this movie. It shows both personality types very well. I wish they made it into a series with the 2 lead actresses.

An obtusely rude microbiologist is forced into sensitivity training after some incredibly cruel comments to a colleague result in her suicide (stay with me...the movie's not as grim as it sounds). To keep her job, Dr. Wolfe is required to undergo this training with a cheerful woman (Caroline) whose main job has been dealing with sexual harassment cases. The humor initially stems from the cranky scientist's efforts to undermine Caroline's efforts which she responds to with calm aplomb. (e.g. Dr. Wolfe: "Are you some psychotic delusion? Do I need to be on medication?" Caroline: "Probably").

There's a few odd things you'll need to just accept (I'm no expert but the science behind Dr. Wolfe's work seems a little iffy and I don't think I buy the notion that a woman like Caroline with two Ph.D.'s would be working sexual harassment cases but I'll go with it). This somewhat obscure film is actually quite entertaining. No new ground is broken but the film does have something to say about the importance of friendship and how such relationships can benefit both parties.

The two leads have great on-screen chemistry. The story is a little bit predictable, but that's okay: sometimes knowing what to expect isn't a bad thing. I'm lucky I came across this while scrolling through Amazon Prime - I'd never heard of it. I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for something light and airy and laugh out loud funny.