Mumford

Starring: Loren Dean, Hope Davis
Director: Lawrance Kasdan
Genre: Comedy
Year: 1999
Rating: 3 / 5

Despite being sappy and overdone, Mumford, the latest by director Lawrance Kasdan, is nonetheless an entertaining tale, thanks in large part to the remarkable effort of star Loren Dean. The premise is an interesting one, but the plot and the characters are rather predictable and full of cliches. Few of them distinguish themselves, although Jason Lee does offer some earnest support for the film's star. Dean winds up carrying the considerable weight of the film all by himself, and, while this certainly speaks well of him, it is not enough to allow Mumford to escape the ranks of the merely ordinary.

Dr. Mumford (Loren Dean) is the new shrink in the small town of Mumford. (Yes, the names are exactly the same.) Mere weeks after arriving in town, the good doctor is already the psychiatrist of choice for nearly half the town and is seemingly loved by all. Dr. Mumford's easy-going style seems to work very well for him, and previously closed-off individuals slowly begin to open up to him. The town pharmacist, trapped in his elaborate fantasy world, begins to see a way out. A troubled high school student with questions about her identity begins to understand what it really important. A reclusive young woman (Hope Davis) slowly begins to come out of her extended haze.

As he delves deeper and deeper into the lives of his patients, and as successful cases begin to mount, Dr. Mumford finds himself falling for Sofie Crisp (Davis), his most troubled patient and the daughter of one of his few detractors. As he wrestles with how to balance this budding would-be romance with his professional obligations, questions from his past begin to catch up to him. After all, Mumford is a small town, and people eventually start to inquire about the origins of the town's newest resident. Will Dr. Mumford handle the ethical quandaries which plague him, or will his past return to wreck havoc on him?

Loren Dean, a virtual unknown by industry standards, could be a rising star in Hollywood, if his performance here is any indication. He is able to convey a strength of character without ever saying a word, and his interactions with all of his character's patients illustrate an extensive range. Hope Davis, on the other hand, spends much of the movie in a stupor, looking as though she is in some drug-induced, semi-conscious state. The chemistry between the two stars is negligible, and I actually found myself preferring the scenes in which she was not present. Jason Lee (Chasing Amy) does provide some comic relief as Skip Skipperton, a offbeat young man whose company supports the entire town. These factors leave me with one overwhelming thought about the town of Mumford: it seems to be a nice place to visit, but I would not want to live there.

Cast:

Loren Dean..........	Mumford
Hope Davis..........	Sofie Crisp
Jason Lee..........	Skip Skipperton
Alfre Woodard..........	Lily
Mary McDonnell..........	Althea Brockett
Martin Short..........	Lionel Dillard

Certification: Rated R for language.
Running Time: 96 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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