Mumford (film)

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Mumford

Directed by	Lawrence Kasdan
Produced by	Lawrence Kasdan Charles Okun
Written by	Lawrence Kasdan
Starring	Loren Dean Hope Davis Jason Lee Alfre Woodard Mary McDonnell Zooey Deschanel Martin Short
Music by	James Newton Howard
Distributed by	Touchstone Pictures
Release date(s)	September 24, 1999
Running time	112 min.
Language	English
Budget	$28,000,000
IMDb profile

Mumford is a 1999 comedic movie set in a small town, where a new psychologist (Loren Dean) gives offbeat advice to the neurotic residents. Both the psychologist and the town are named "Mumford," a coincidence that eventually figures in the plot.

[edit] Synopsis

As a relatively new citizen of the town, Mumford seems both charming and mysterious to his neighbors and patients, and his novel, frank approach to psychotherapy soon attracts patients away from the two therapists already working in the area. Together with attorney Lionel Dillard (Martin Short) -- a patient Dr. Mumford had rejected because of Lionel's arrogance -- the two local therapists conspire to try to find skeletons in Mumford's closet, hoping to destroy his reputation and thus bring their own lost business. Meanwhile, Mumford's inherent likability causes his life to become intertwined with much of the rest of the town.

[edit] Reception

Mumford was generally considered a pleasant but forgettable film. Many critics expressed a general approval of the movie but questioned the unpleasant back-story to Dr. Mumford (which contrasted with the overall tone of the film), as well as the perceived mis-use of actors like Martin Short and Ted Danson, whose roles were little more than undeveloped cameos.