Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sardonic
- melancholic
- downbeat
- late night viewing
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics generally found Kevin Spacey's performance, selected supporting turns, humor, cinematography, and downbeat atmosphere stronger than the conventional script and unfocused ensemble structure.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Henry's wife's death, self-blame, depression, and drug use govern his relationships with clients and friends.
Henry's patients include actors, directors, producers, writers, and a high-school student moving through the Los Angeles entertainment world.
Henry serves as a therapist for troubled clients while grieving, smoking heavily, and resisting his friends' intervention.
The film balances clients' comic demands and Hollywood eccentricities with Henry's depression and the film's queasy downbeat mood.
Films like Shrink, and why
The Player
shared hollywood setting, troubled ensemble, dark comedy, and satirical examination of celebrity culture
Maps to the Stars
shared melancholic hollywood atmosphere, damaged characters, and cynical show-business perspective
The Ice Storm
shared grief-stricken protagonist, sardonic humor, and emotionally fractured ensemble drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Jonas Pate
- Release Date
- 2009-07-24
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (263)
Cast
- Kevin Spacey
- Mark Webber
- Keke Palmer
- Saffron Burrows
- Jack Huston
- Pell James
- Dallas Roberts
- Laura Ramsey
- Jesse Plemons
- Robert Loggia
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Shrink about?
- A grieving Los Angeles therapist becomes the reluctant emotional anchor for a network of damaged Hollywood figures while struggling to survive his own collapse.
- What is Shrink like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shrink as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Shrink violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Shrink.
- What did critics think of Shrink?
- Critics generally found Kevin Spacey's performance, selected supporting turns, humor, cinematography, and downbeat atmosphere stronger than the conventional script and unfocused ensemble structure.
- Which films are like Shrink?
- Films with a similar feel include The Player, Maps to the Stars, and The Ice Storm.
- How long is Shrink?
- Shrink runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Shrink?
- In United States, Shrink streams on Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
