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"Check
into 'Mumford'"
by Scott Mantz
"Mumford"
Loren Dean, Hope Davis
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan
With all the
culture and craziness found in today's big cities, it's no wonder
that so many movies are based in New York or Los Angeles. However,
sometimes the best inspiration can come from cozy small towns. You
know the type--towns so fresh that the paint on the white picket
fences are still wet. Writer David E. Kelley was able to capture
that feeling with television's "Picket Fences", but Lawrence Kasdan's
"Mumford" feels like the best film Kelley never made (at least,
not yet). Engaging, quirky, and heartwarming characters with smart
dialogue make "Mumford" a real treat.
Kasdan has always
excelled with multiple character-driven stories. With "The Big Chill"
and, to a lesser extent, "Grand Canyon", Kasdan was able to pull
the best out of his performers to effectively deliver his words.
His screenplay for "The Empire Strikes Back" gave real depth to
otherwise cardboard sci fi characters, making that film far and
beyond the best in the "Star Wars" trilogy. Unlike those movies,
"Mumford" has not one major star in it's cast. When the biggest
name on the marquee is Ted Danson (and in a small role at that),
the film better be great if it's going to compete with the big guns.
Fortunately, it is.
Mumford (Loren
Dean) is a very popular psychologist in the cozy small town of Mumford
(no relation). It seems like everyone in town is his patient, and
his unorthodox methods prove to be very effective. Among some of
his patients are sweet-natured insomniac Sofie (Hope Davis), childlike
billionaire software magnate Skip (Jason Lee), and compulsive catalog
shopper Althea (Mary McDonnell). Just when you thought his patients
were loony, Doc Mumford drops the biggest bomb of all--he isn't
even a real doctor. He's a quack. It's only a matter of time before
(as we say in Hollywood) "complications ensue".
It says a lot
about the confidence Kasdan has in Loren Dean to cast him as the
lead. A relative unknown, Dean had the thankless task of starring
in 1991's forgettable "Billy Bathgate" and then seemed to drop off
the face of the Earth. In "Mumford", his soft-spoken pillar-of-strength
performance carries the movie. When he finally reveals his true
identity, its amazing to think that his previous life was so volatile.
He's vying for a second chance. Since he is trying to help people,
he hopes to redeem his crazy, corrupt past. It also helps that he's
good at what he does.
The supporting
players are like icing on an already delicious cake. Jason Lee may
have almost as much money as Bill Gates, but he just wants to be
loved. Mary McDonnell performs like a well-meaning loose cannon,
but it's the always-wonderful Hope Davis that catches Dean's eye.
Rounding out the cast is Ted Danson as McDonnell's loveless husband
and Alfre Woodard as the supportive waitress who lives below Dean.
The film wraps
itself up a little too nicely, but that's to be expected. This is
just a little slice-of-life story (albeit a screwed-up one) about
redemption and second chances. There's no $20 million star to carry
the film, but that works in the film's favor by allowing the performances
to shine. "Mumford" is strong enough to stand on it's own merits
and proves itself to be the little movie that could.
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