Psycho Therapy - Review 

Rating: 3 out of 5

ABRUPT ending aside, Tolga Karaçelik’s extravagantly titled Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer is a curiosity piece that engages by virtue of the way it defies easy expectation at almost every turn.

John Magaro heads the cast as a self-absorbed author Keane, currently experimenting writer’s block, who is oblivious to the fractured nature of his marriage to Suzie (Britt Lower) - someone who is acutely aware of his failings, both socially and as a husband.

Keane is working on a Neanderthal love story as the subject of his next book, to the despair of everyone who knows him, including his agent (Ward Horton). But possible redemption arrives in the unlikely form of a man named Kollmick (Steve Buscemi), who reveals himself as both a fan of Keane’s past work and a retired serial killer, who would be willing to work with the author on a new book.

And so the stage would appear to be set for Keane to go down the rabbit hole of serial killing, possibly at great risk to himself.

But then Psycho Therapy seldom does what you expect. The deep dive into the psychology of serial killing (a la Mindhunters) doesn’t really materialise. Instead, we have a darkly comic look into the state of Keane’s own marriage as - aware of the optics of bringing a serial killer home, particularly late at night as Keane initially does - he tells Suzie that Kollmick is a therapist.

And so Suzie agrees to couples therapy, with the socially inept Kollmick charged with overseeing the sessions.

The ensuing meetings between the three are infused with awkwardness and misunderstanding. But there’s equal parts comedy and insight into what follows, as Suzie and Keane inadvertently begin to identify the failings in their marriage, only for things to take an even more unexpected twist as Suzie begins to suspect that Keane and Kollmick are teaming up to kill her.

Over the course of a night, Suzie begins to follow the pair, unaware they are intending to abduct Keane’s agent as a means of providing Keane with some insight into killing.

Matters only get more complicated for there…

Psycho Therapy absorbs by virtue of its ability to keep wrong footing the viewer, continually amusing while at the same time dropping on some astute observations about the creative process and relationships.

It also benefits from a trio of great performances, with Lower possibly standing out as Suzie - at first seemingly emotionally cold and detached but increasingly becoming the most adjusted of the three.

Magaro is also great value as the completely self absorbed Keane, unaware of his own social awkwardness and incapable of making any decision for himself; while Buscemi is typically great as Kollmick, suitably mysterious, eerie in his own way, yet oddly comic in his uncomfortableness around Suzie.

Not everything works. The diversions into the Neanderthal tale of Keane’s choice are just plain odd and distracting, while the leisurely pacing may test the patience of some viewers, particularly early on.

And just when the mixed message scenario gathers proper pace and places its characters in seemingly inescapable situations, the film comes to its abrupt conclusion, failing to resolve the fate of anyone.

This will be infuriating for many and certainly frustrated me (feeling akin to placing a full stop mid-sentence).

But if you have some spare time on your hands, then Psycho Therapy is worthy of a look. Buscemi fans will certainly enjoy. 

Certificate: 15

Running time: 1hr 42mins