Mumford

There's a moment in MUMFORD where Mary McDonnell, who plays a woman obsessed with buying things, is talking to Loren Dean, who plays the main character, a psychologist whose name, Mumford, is the same as the town he and McDonnell live in, and she gets the look on her face which cartoon characters get when they think of an idea(and the light bulb goes on over their head), and all of a sudden realizes what's wrong with her. In a way, this movie from writer-director Lawrence Kasdan is like that. A lot of people have complained at how slow moving this is, but it's all the better for it to sneak up on you. And instead of just providing quick fix solutions for his patients, Mumford just gently prods and nudges until they find the path for themselves. Of course, this may just be an elaborate way of saying, "Physician, heal thyself," but that may be the point.

If you look at this in one way, you might think Mumford is merely a passive character, who only comes to life when he falls in love and when his secret is revealed. But gradually, you come to realize what's going on. Not only is his reticence a cover(a good one until he's exposed), but it's a way of, as I said, just gently prodding his patients to the right path. So he is active, but just in subtle ways. You need a subtle actor to handle that, and Loren Dean does quite a good job in that department. Hope Davis, who if there's any justice in this world will become a star, is also good as the patient he falls in love with. Their scenes together reminded me of the relationship between William Hurt and Geena Davis in THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST, a Kasdan film this shares a lot with. And the rest of the cast is quite good as well(it's also nice to see Elisabeth Moss, so good in IMAGINARY CRIMES, still getting work, though I hope it's bigger roles in the future).

My only complaint was the scene where Mumford explains to Jason Lee(also excellent) and us what his past really was. The details themselves were okay, but the sequence was shot in grainy video stock(I think; I'm not an expert here), which, while it pays off later, is distracting here, particularly with its point-of-view camera. Still, this is a minor quibble for a movie which will leave you with a big smile on your face the entire way through.

Lawrence Kasdan has never been known for his comedy, per-say. He is perhaps best known as the screen writer on the best Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Empire Strikes Back, as well as his own The Big Chill. Mumford may be the most representative of his talents. It is widely agreed that Kasdan was brought into the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies to add a bit of humor to the films. This is most noticeable in the change from Raiders of the Lost Ark to the Temple of Doom, as 'Temple' is not nearly as enjoyable as Raiders, as it is missing much of the wit that has become a tired action cliché of late. Kasden has some of the back and forth in this movie, with smart responses that make you smirk. But most of the movie centers around the plot, which is about a man named Mumford that no one seems to know much about but everyone talks to. Throughout the film Mumford helps his patients realize what they need, which seems to be their only problem. Occasionally he takes an active role, but often all he does is listen. Loren Dean plays the role with a carefree attitude that wouldn't work in most films but fits right on the money here. His indifference makes him the perfect person to talk to. The supporting cast, especially Hope Davis, Alfre Woodard, Jason Lee and Mary McDonnell are outstanding, although a lot of attention was paid to casting, and you can tell. Everyone seems to fit their role well. Mumford doesn't have gut-busting laughter or moments of pure hilarity, it rather trucks along in a more traditional idea of comedy, and send-back to the old days of comedy when people cared about atmosphere and character. The biggest achievement of this movie is that nothing is said to take you out of the feeling that you are watching real people, which is a hard thing in comedy these days. The movie doesn't make a huge impact, and, if I weren't so in love with it, it would be quite forgettable, as it probably is to many people. However, it is the only movie in a very long time where I left the theater smiling because I had been emotionally moved. And that's the most impressive thing of all.

Dr. Mickey Mumford (Loren Dean) is a psychologist who ironically lives and works in the town of Mumford. Among his clientele are local chemist Henry Follett (Pruitt Taylor Vince) whose tasteful sexual fantasies have ruined his marriage, image-obsessed teen Nessa Watkins (Zooey Deschanel), kleptomaniac house-wife Althea Brockett (Mary McDonnell) and lonely billionaire Skip Skipperton (Jason Lee), whose electronics business keeps the town afloat. Mickey Mumford and his highly unorthodox techniques are extremely successful, but things begin to change and get complicated when he takes Sofie Crisp (Hope Davis) on board as a client and falls in love with her, while trying to cure her sleep deprivation.

'Mumford', written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan (The Bodyguard, The Big Chill) is a surprisingly great film. Really, this is just a very well-told story. Dr. Mumford's curious cases pull the film along, but those fragmented stories really wouldn't have been enough for 99 minutes… so when the film's big twist comes mid-way, it's a smooth transition from examining Mumford's patients and their crises to watching the problems of the doctor himself, and the way's he tries to deal with them.

Loren Dean, while not the typically charismatic protagonist, is oddly interesting as the humble and odd psychologist; and really does communicate a very relaxed persona, making it easy to see why people feel the need to confide in him. Zooey Deschanel is a great little secondary character, totally at ease and entertaining in her role as the off-beat misfit. My one complaint may be that the love story between Dr. Mumford and his patient Sofie isn't executed very well; there really isn't enough screen time given to the development of their budding feelings, and in fact most of their realizations about their feelings for one another come either off-screen or are explored individually, like when Dr. Mumford talks about his feelings for Sofie with patient and friend Skip Skipperton. Furthermore, there isn't much chemistry between Loren Dean and Hope Davis. Between Davis's sleep-deprived, baggy-eyed divorcée, Sofie and Dean's stony-calm Dr. Mumford; the romance is lackluster, at best. The film is only 99 minutes long, and I wish it was longer with more emphasis and development on the Dean/Davis romance.

I really enjoyed this film and was very glad I found it while looking through Zooey Deschanel's filmography. It's just a shame not more people know about it.

Mumford was a nice surprise to watch - I didn't know anything about it so had no expectations. However I am surprised that it didn't even get a release in the cinema in the UK - it certainly deserved it. The film manages to combine believable characters, a little suspense, some humour and romance. In fact it manages to get away from the usual Hollywood schmaltz whilst being true to the characters. Definitely worth checking out as it has a lot going for it.

MUMFORD (1999) ***1/2

Starring: Loren Dean, Hope Davis, Jason Lee, Alfre Woodard, Martin Short, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Mary McDonnell, Zooey Deschanel, David Paymer, Jane Adams, and Ted Danson Written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. 96 minutes Rated R (for sex-related images featuring nudity, drug content, and some language)

By Blake French:

"Mumford" is a cuddly little comedy production with a happy, uplifting atmosphere like the ones found in "Pleasantville" and "The Truman Show." Mumford is the name of a small fantasy town, filed with smiling people greeting each other on a daily basis, which is held in upheaval when a small time psychiatrist's true entity is revealed to his various patients.

I am getting ahead on myself, here. Before I can explain what happens after the characters discover the secrets about Mumford, the name of psychiatrist also, I must first give you some background information on the characters. The mismatched characters are eccentric and entertaining. They are developed though sessions with Mumford. To make things even more original for the movie is the lack of plot structure here. The conflicts, problems and solutions all exist in each individual character, not necessarily a situation they are placed into.

With Mumford included, here are the characters: Sofie Crisp, (Hope Davis), who is nearly bedridden after a severe and almost permanent loss of energy. Henry Follett (Pruitt Taylor Vince) whose mind is overflowing with wild and erotic sex fantasies, but he isn't featured in any of them. Skip Skipperton, (Jason Lee) a young, skateboarding corporate billionaire that is so lonely and without friends that he has spend the last several years designing robots to fit individual's sexual pleasures. Nessa Watkins, (Zooey Deschanel) who has social, smoking, relationship, and obsession issues. Lionel Dillard, (Martin Short) a lawyer who's disturbing images Mumford refuses to listen to. Jeremy Brockett (Ted Danson), who is great to himself but treats his family members like dirt. Dr. Ernest Delbanco (David Paymer) and Dr. Phyllis Sheeler (Jane Adams), the only other two mental health doctors in Mumford who question Mumford's creditability. And finally, there is the Mumford character himself, played by Loren Dean, who has such a compelling flashback sequence developing his entire life in five minutes effectively, we learn that this man also had some problems, he just was willing to turn his life around. This character alone makes the film worth while to see, for his mysterious past life is such a revealing subject that it is hard not to become intrigued.

There is much to like about "Mumford." There are the enormously entertaining characters, who are not puppets of the plot, but contain their own personal emotions and motives. A charming, imaginative atmosphere. The direction by Lawrence Kasdan is focused and organized; he seems to know exactly what he wants, and achieves it. The personal territory the film's story covers, a psychiatrist mind, as well as the thoughts of many disturbed individuals, is quite compelling. Also, I think there is an important message here, signifying the need of people to communicate to one another and how important it is to listen to each other--values everyone should have.

The conclusion to "Mumford" contains no big, extravagant climax. Nor does it completely bring the film's message to a direct close. It is a happy, petty ending in which almost everyone goes home happy, but still lets the imagination wonder. This ending only provides the fact that this is a character and mood movie, not a plot based movie. It ends how it needs to end, assuring this film will stick with the viewer for sometime to come.

Brought to you by Touchstone Pictures.