The Couch Trip
An escaped delinquent reinvents himself as a sensational radio psychiatrist, turning professional fraud into a media phenomenon before the real expert appears.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- irreverent
- witty
- breezy
- lazy sunday
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics found the film intermittently amusing, with Dan Aykroyd's energetic impersonation providing its main comic appeal, but overall reviews were mixed.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John W. Burns, Jr. presents himself as psychiatrist Lawrence Baird while hosting a popular radio advice show.
Burns transforms Dr. Maitlin's restrained radio program into a tactless, profane hit.
Burns's fraudulent status as Lawrence Baird drives the comic contrast between audience knowledge and professional credulity.
Films like The Couch Trip, and why
The Man Who Knew Too Little
Shared irreverent identity fraud, broad comic performances, and escalating professional deception.
Tootsie
Shared workplace impersonation, fast-moving farce, and a charismatic outsider disrupting an established institution.
Catch Me If You Can
Shared con artist protagonist, mistaken identity, and comic tension built around maintaining a false professional persona.
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Ritchie
- Release Date
- 1988-01-15
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (121)
Cast
- Dan Aykroyd
- Walter Matthau
- Charles Grodin
- Donna Dixon
- Richard Romanus
- Mary Gross
- David Clennon
- Arye Gross
- Victoria Jackson
- Michael DeLorenzo
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Couch Trip about?
- An escaped delinquent reinvents himself as a sensational radio psychiatrist, turning professional fraud into a media phenomenon before the real expert appears.
- What is The Couch Trip like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Couch Trip as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Couch Trip violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Couch Trip.
- What did critics think of The Couch Trip?
- Critics found the film intermittently amusing, with Dan Aykroyd's energetic impersonation providing its main comic appeal, but overall reviews were mixed.
- Which films are like The Couch Trip?
- Films with a similar feel include The Man Who Knew Too Little, Tootsie, and Catch Me If You Can.
- How long is The Couch Trip?
- The Couch Trip runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Couch Trip?
- In United States, The Couch Trip streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
