Bad Psychiatrist

This indie film checks all my boxes. It takes an original story and idea, engaging performances from the actors, and a really amazing soundtrack. The theme of mental health is explored thoroughly, and the film is not afraid to dive into that and reflect on the importance of mental health. The duality of the film in both its comedic moments regarding mental health as well as its darker more emotional side really resonates well. This combined with the strong cast and their incredible chemistry together, especially the leads, made for a really good story. Combine that with some fantastic original audio on the soundtrack and some songs brought in that work so well, and you have something not only worth watching but worth telling your own therapist about.

My congratulations to the filmmaker and his cast/crew on this original, first-time feature. This was a years-long passion project with many setbacks, and yet Ostrom persevered. Getting this movie made and released is an accomplishment in itself.

That said, I can't say that I loved it. More like I appreciated it for what it was. Comedy is subjective and maybe it will vibe more with your sensibility than mine.

This is a character piece, showcasing the inimitable Dario X. Musso as the titular Bad Psychiatrist, and his struggles with his DIY talk therapy practice, his family and his friendship his patient/mentor/mentee played by the writer/director/editor/composer/ producer Andras Ostrom himself. This is not a plot-driven movie, which is fine, but even still I bumped against a sort of looseness in its construction that made it hard to follow. The cohesion from scene to scene - as in, why are the characters doing what they are doing right now and how does it relate to the scenes before or after it - can be a little rough. Especially for some scenes that seem mostly or wholly improvised, I was left wondering why this scene was in the movie at all.

But, I did enjoy Musso's performance. He's definitely believable in the part and he elevates the material.

An enjoyable, engaging, and endearing debut project from writer/director/actor Andras Ostrom, Bad Psychiatrist follows an aspiring therapist, Dr. Nauberger, who himself struggles with mental health. The personal growth - and hilarity - that ensues when he links up with psychology student Greg are worth the watch! Bad Psychiatrist is a comedic - but not un-serious - look into the world of mental health struggles and the difficult life circumstances that can often arise from them. The feature-length film (~1 hr. 25 mins.) unpacks such complex themes as homelessness, friendship, family, reciprocity in relationships, career aspirations, and more, but does so in a funny and off-beat way which makes it enjoyable to watch. Although Bad Psychiatrist is an independent film, the production value is high, the acting is of a good quality, and the writing is engaging. I look forward to more projects from Ostrom, and the rest of the cast!

This was such a funny, endearing, and creative movie! In the sea of sequels and carbon-copy superhero movies of today, this movie is a welcome breath of fresh air.

There is nothing like it out there right now. The humor was so unexpectedly charming and unique. But the film is also deeply human and heartwarming as it depicts the complexities of relationships, mental illness, and houselessness.

The film moves seamlessly between surreal, humorous scenarios and explorations of modern plights: social media-induced anxiety, the generational technology gap, and life transitioning out of the pandemic.

If you are looking for relatable and human cinema - Bad Psychiatrist is an excellent choice!

This movie is infused with gentle humor and is highly satisfying with an uplifting conclusion (a.k.a. "happy end"). I especially enjoyed the outstanding performance of Dario Musso, who is incredibly amusing as a wanna-be psychiatrist. No matter what weird situations he was getting himself into, I couldn't help but root for him. I gave the movie nine stars only because the background of the "bad psychiatrist" character was not hashed out to my satisfaction; like, why is he homeless? Why is his daughter not letting him move in with her? But I guess this was less important than the friendship of the "psychiatrist" and the college kid, who had his own issues. I also liked that the California vibe was more realistic than your typical Hollywood movie, which would usually be all glamor but no substance. On the whole, I would recommend this independent film to people who enjoy intelligent comedies.