By Kelsey Martyn-Farewell
pop writer
"Numb" is a deliciously dark, low-key, psychological comedy starring Matthew Perry (Chandler from "Friends"). Perry plays a character called Hudson who suffers from depersonalization disorder, meaning that he seems disconnected from reality and has a lot of anxiety about it. Just when he is starting to get help for his condition he meets the girl of his dreams which pushes him even harder to find a cure or at least a cover up so that she will never know.
While the plot summary on the back cover of the DVD describes "Numb" as a romantic comedy of sorts, I think that is pushing the boundaries of the genre. Yes, there is comedy, and yes, there is a love interest, but this is definitely not the same kind of film as, say, "You've Got Mail" or "27 Dresses." It has a much more subtle humor and is considerably darker than your typical romantic comedy. I should also mention that this is definitely an "R" rated film with its language, drug references, and sexual content.
Hudson's love interest, Sarah, is played by Lynn Collins ("The Dog Problem" and "The Merchant of Venice"). Her character is seemingly drawn to slightly disturbed men (which proves only helpful to Hudson) but is otherwise charming, warm, and exactly what he needs. The chemistry between Perry and Collins is remarkable, especially considering the extremely downplayed performance that Perry delivers throughout the film.
It is perhaps Perry's performance that made this film worthwhile to me, as most of the comedy comes from the other characters in the film. He gives a performance unlike any I'd seen from him in the past, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He rarely smiles or cracks a joke, instead showing a much more introspective and versatile side of his acting chops. What makes his character interesting, however, is that he never loses that goodness or heart that everyone loved from him on "Friends."
Other cast members include Kevin Pollak ("The Usual Suspects") who plays Hudson's best friend, Tom, and Mary Steenburgen ("Life as a House") who plays one of Hudson's therapists, Dr. Cheryl Blaine. This was Pollak and Perry's third collaboration after "The Whole Nine Yards" and its sequel and their on-screen friendship is wonderful. Steenburgen brings a lot of comedy to the film as she loses herself in therapy sessions with Hudson when she finds herself attracted to him and acts upon it in increasingly inappropriate ways.
The film was written and directed by Harris Goldberg, writer of the "Deuce Bigalow" films and "Without a Paddle." Despite warnings from friends and colleagues, he wrote this auto-biographical script about his own trouble with depersonalization and love.
The DVD features include a feature commentary track with Goldberg, as well as a featurette called "Numb: An Inside Look." The featurette has actor, director and producer interviews about the writing of the script, casting and making of the film itself. I found that the segments with Goldberg fascinating as he talks about his struggle with depersonalization and writing the script. It was also interesting to learn that Perry felt more like the character of Hudson than any other role he's played in the past.
For a unique dark comedy with a great cast, check out "Numb" in your local store's new releases section.
Please send your questions, comments and DVD recommendations to Kelsey at transcriptpop@hotmail.com.
Entertainment
'Numb' a warm look at a seriously disturbed guy
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