Alfre Woodard, Hope Davis, Jason Lee
Loren Dean, a pleasant, attractive actor who seems to fall seamlessly into the background of every film he's in (Gattaca, Enemy of the State, Apollo 13), is perfectly cast in M...( read more
) as a psychologist (named Mumford) who wanders into a small town (named Mumford) and suddenly fits seamlessly into everybody's rhythms and routines. Balancing a no-nonsense approach with a keen ability to listen sincerely to everyone's problems (with the exception of a snotty lawyer, played by Martin Short), he's a friendly, approachable blank slate for all those who come to visit him. And while he's tending to the shopaholic housewife (Mary McDonnell), the pulp-fantasizing pharmacist (Pruitt Taylor Vince), and the anorexic teenager (Zooey Deschanel), no one seems to give a second thought to who the man is behind the therapeutic face, not even his slightly sardonic neighbor (Alfre Woodard). It's not until he befriends a sweetly daft computer billionaire (Jason Lee) and starts treating a chronically fatigued young woman (Hope Davis) that his past--or rather, lack of one--starts coming into play, for it turns out that Mumford is not exactly who he says he is.
Less a mystery than an affectionate, perfectly modulated character study, Mumford easily represents writer-director Lawrence Kasdan's best work in a decade. While the plot seems whimsically Capra-esque and the dialogue sometimes stilted, it's so carefully and quietly directed that its good will and gentle spirit seem to float lightly off the screen. Kasdan hasn't created such engaging characters since The Big Chill, and all are winning without seeming artificial. Most amazing is Davis, who manages to invest a woman suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome with an inner glow that slowly becomes brighter as the film progresses. And Dean, as the enigmatic Mumford, may have finally found his breakthrough role; after years as an also-ran, he finally emerges as a solid, charming leading man. After Mumford, you won't forget his name, or face. --Mark Englehart
DVD Release Date: April 17, 2001
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Stats: 206 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (206)
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February 18, 2008Mrs. Crisp: What kind of doctor are you?
Dr. Mumford: Ph.D. in psychology.
Mrs. Crisp: Oh. Not a real doctor.
Dr. Mumford: That's right, the fake kind.
Here's a funny little comedy involving an easy to get along with shrink, living in a small town filled with a bunch of quirky p...( read more) -
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June 5, 2006I like this movie and I don't know why. Everyone in this town is so screwed up, and you get to see what Jason Lee did before he became an actor.
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July 28, 2009started watching this film because of Zooey Dechanel being in it, found a rather lovely character driven story, with a very star studded cast.
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March 16, 2009It could have been the timing, but this movie really made me feel good.
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January 11, 2009One of those little underrated gems. Some really cool moments and quite a sweet film.
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October 21, 2008Not Lawrence Kasdan's shining moment, but one of the better of his more recent films.
Critic Reviews
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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