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

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.

From the casting of Mystery Train alum Steve Buscemi to the obligatory Tom Waits song to the deadpan deliveries and the minimalist stream-of-consciousness slice-of-life narrative, it's a fairly familiar formula. And it works for the most part.

Of course, it develops slowly and unfolds at its own unpredictable leisure but the cast is so honestly up for the ride. Suzie can be a little too much at first. But I enjoyed her arc most of all. And the number of clever little things like Ada session, the llama, burn ointment and the chloroform bit, definitely make this fun. Keane's nebbish neuroses and Kollmick's earnest but ineffectual mentoring are delightfully authentic.

Some of the misunderstandings didn't quite click in the comedic way they should have. But a good deal of the film is quirky and interesting enough to keep one entertained.

And every time, she talked to her friend Zoe, my dog with the same name perked her ears up, making the movie quite interactive.

I liked it.

I know that this is a wacky comedy and not a documentary. I get it. Events spin out of control. Things become absurd.

But following the opening dinner-party scene, I didn't believe anything that anyone did in this movie. Not for a minute. And all the actors in it are very capable and give excellent performances.

But nobody's reaction to anything in this arbitrary and unmotivated series of events is remotely like something an actual person might do. Every scene prompts the question, "Why would he/she do that?"

The screenplay is bereft of anything resembling human behavior--homo sapiens or Neanderthals.

Hilarious and captivating the entire way through the movie. The way the plot develops and the ride they take you through keeps you wanting more. Would definitely recommend this movie to anyone! Great to see Steve buscimi (probably misspelled) been a fan ever since the big Lebowski, and not sure if it was just because of him but kind of got similar vibes from the humor used throughout the film.

If you're looking for something that has a horror aspect while looking to laugh, you don't need to look any further. Now I'm just continuing to ramble because of the minimum required characters for the review.

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.