Bad Therapy

Bad Therapy is a dark comedy that was released in the fateful year of 2020. Directed by Nowhere Mind’s William Teitler, the film features renowned stars such as Rob Corddry, Alicia Silverstone, and Anna Pniowsky, who all bring their unique charm and exceptional acting skills to give life to this intricate exploration of relationships, therapy, and the latent chaos that lies within seemingly ordinary lives.

The complex narrative of Bad Therapy centers around a couple living in the ordinary suburbia of Los Angeles. Alicia Silverstone, known for her portrayal in Clueless (1995), steps into the role of Susan Howard, a housewife under strain dealing with the ebbs and flows of her life. Coupled with Rob Corddy, a popular figure from television comedy, who plays Bob Howard, her laid-back husband, they combine to create a compelling portrait of marital life replete with ups and downs, challenges and joys. They have a delightful daughter named Louise, portrayed by the talented Anna Pniowsky, whose performance is at once vulnerable and mature.

The Howards appear to be a standard, middle-class family, dealing with the everyday struggles of their lives. However, like every household, they too have undisclosed complications simmering right beneath the surface. As they navigate their unfolding lives, Susan suggests the idea of couple’s therapy as a means to resolve their issues; a decision that cues the entrance of an attractive, confident, yet subtly ominous therapist that sets the ball rolling for the unexpected turn of events that follow.

When Susan and Bob begin therapy with Judy Small (Michaela Watkins), they dwarfed by her charisma and supposed understanding of their situation. Judy Small is projected as a mysterious, bewitching character, who is seemingly benign but with hidden layers of intrigue. Silverstone and Corddry's characters feel an immediate connection and believe she can help smooth their knotted life circumstances. As therapy ensues, the couple gradually starts to follow her advice, oblivious of the slowly unfurling unintended consequences.

Bad Therapy offers a dark, satirical take on western therapeutic culture, uncovering how the quest for self-improvement and healing can sometimes lead to an unexpected spiral. The narrative unfolds slowly, allowing viewers to immerse themselves into the subtly nerve-wracking atmosphere and the increasingly peculiar dynamics between the main characters. The genre of the film is hard to pin down, as it effortlessly saunters between being a comedy, a drama, a thriller, and a social commentary.

The film skilfully uses the therapy-prone contemporary society as a backdrop to its twisted tale of a couples' struggle and their foray into therapy. The script’s brilliantly woven dialogues create a tense and uncomfortably funny environment, making the viewers question the intentions of the characters at each turn. Director Teitler does an incredible job of ensuring suspense, intrigue, and humor coincide in a compelling montage of suburban life.

Performances by Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry are exceptionally strong, becoming the prime drivers of the story. They flawlessly portray their characters, inducing intense emotion and holding the audience’s attention. The character development is complex, as each character reveals their inner depths, hidden secrets, and genuine responses to the situations they are thrown into.

However, the film's real star might be Michaela Watkins, who delivers a captivating performance as the therapist. Watkins' role is the axis around which the story rotates, making each of her scenes a masterpiece filled with subtle insinuations and layered meanings. Watkins skilfully balances the polarity of her character, reflecting the charm, confidence, malevolence, and the enticing thrill that Judy Small oozes.

Overall, Bad Therapy is a film that galvanises viewers into the exploration of family dynamics, therapy, and the impacts of our choices. The movie asks pertinent questions about trust, deception, and the lengths to which people would go to preserve their relationships or on the flip side, exploit them. While entertaining throughout, Bad Therapy leaves viewers with a lingering sense of foreboding, and a subtle introspection about the societies we inhabit and the trust we put in professionals and therapy. Bad Therapy is a chilling, provocative, and hilarious comedy-drama with a sense of unsettling tension powerful enough to make it a must-watch.