Private Sessions

This pilot produced as a possible television weekly series that did not come about, features a psychotherapist, Dr. Joe Braden (Mike Farrell), who becomes closely involved with his patients, away from his office, the plot blending two separate cases, an ostensibly compulsive nymphomaniac, performed by Kelly McGillis, and a cab driver (Tom Bosley) who is suffering from audio hallucinations; additionally, Braden's associations with his former wife and with his daughter, along with a possible new romance for him fill the landscape of the scenario. Farrell gives an obviously well prepared and nicely nuanced reading as a therapist who cares deeply for his patients, while McGillis and Robert Vaughn also provide strong performances for a film that is ably directed, acted and photographed; however, other than brief dialogue concerning matters of psychologic theory between Braden and a Freudian psychoanalyst with whom he shares a medical suite, at issue are serious mental and emotional maladies that are patly solved within the script in cavalier fashion, reducing the believability potential of Braden who apparently, during a television series, would be obsessed with problems of his clientèle week after neurosis-saturated week. The DVD version offers no extra features, other than an inadequate scene index.

I watched this movie last night and I can honestly say that I was captivated from start to finish. It it one of the best made for television movies I have seen in a long time. The cast is perfect. Kelly Mcgillis is absolutely perfect in her role and its very difficult to not feel emotional as she finds the courage to talk about what happened to her as a child. Its one of those movies that go into my all time favorites. The doctor who treats her is also very good and convincing. the only fault I have is that the movie ends with the focus on the doctor rather than Kelly and so I found myself feeling slightly disappointed not knowing how things turned out for Kelly? after all the entire movie is based around her and so naturally it should also end with her right? either way Its still a really good movie, the kind of film that touches our emotions.