Mumford

Director: Lawrence Kasdan

Stars: Loren Dean, Jason Lee, Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Hope Davis

Year: 1999 Running Time: 107 mins Rating:

Loren Dean gives up his job at the tax office and moves to the small town of Mumford, where he poses as a psychologist. The fraudulent Dr Mickey Mumford (he takes his name from the town) dispenses good, old fashioned advice and becomes a hit with the locals...to the annoyance of local quacks. The world of the good doctor is extremely funny in a low-key sort of way.

Review

A comedy from the director of The Big Chill and Grand Canyon about a young psychologist named Mumford (Loren Dean), who sets up a practice in a new town.

Mumford gives practical advice rather than contorted explanations, and he soon ends up with many contented clients - in fact, he's the only doc in town with enough patience for his patients.

Naturally this puts a few noses out of joint in the rest of the medical establishment.

Though a little too laid-back, Dean (Billy Bathgate, Apollo 13) underplays gracefully in the lead role.