Psychoanalysis is as New York as the Statue of Liberty, street vendors selling pretzels and hot dogs, and Broadway theater. In this film, The Treatment, we get a front row seat on one guy's neuroses from living in the Big Apple, his therapist's attempt at help, and how he attempts to move on.Chris Eigeman plays Jake Singer, an English teacher at a posh, private Manhattan high school. In front of his class, or coaching the basketball court, he is confident, and self assured. Out of the school, he is anything but. Working through this won't be easy, and actor Ian Holme, as Dr. Ernesto Morales, a flamboyant Argentinian who describes himself as "the last of the great Freudians," is there to work though the teacher's many issues. Unfortunately, it seems that no one ever gets discharged from the psychoanalyst's practice, and I wonder if his aim is anything but monetary as the film progresses. Along the way, Singer develops a relationship with a student's Mom, Julia (actress Stephanie March), that will either complicate things even further, or be be the thing that straightens it all out.
Overall, The Treatment suffers from a lack of budget. There are no big name stars turning in an award winning performance. They don't use the icon's of Manhattan to bring us a presence of place within "the City," and use the energy and frenetic pace of NYC as another character. In addition, it can't decide if it wants to be more of a romantic comedy, or a more serious film. Finally, this movie just kind of ends, and on a flat note at that, leaving the audience to wonder how this all turned out. I think another few minutes could have brought us to more of a conclusion, and a real sense of finality. In the end, The Treatment gets a thumbs sideways as to whether you should see it or not.
Overall Grade: B-/C+ (it's really right on the line)Reviewed by Jonas
PS: I wanted to point out that this makes our 200th movie review, and that's quite a bit of popcorn consumed!
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