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.

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.

This is a low-budget movie, but they did well with the resources they had...

I really liked the opening scene with the first patient and doctor; the surroundings were laughable. I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't stop laughing at the social media tagging scene. Craig's scenes were so funny, especially the fancy pill container scene. Also, Craig's scenes at the wrong address in the park were hilarious. The first half is hilariously funny; the second half lags a little but has heartwarming and laughable scenes...little film that surprised me far more than I expected. It's an comedy film,funny,and in a way it sticks with you.

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.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thought-provoking, quirky little movie! The "psychiatrist" is a particularly engaging and endearing character and you find yourself rooting for him. I found the story line to be a refreshing change of pace! The main character is empathetic, caring and relatable, a quality one looks for and often fails to experience in a mental health professional. This movie deserves recognition and success, and perhaps a following for any future sequels, which I personally would welcome. Kudos to the creator and all of the cast members for this impressive film and best wishes to all.