Mumford is a 1999 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. It is 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.

The film co-stars Hope Davis, Jason Lee, Alfre Woodard, Mary McDonnell, Martin Short, and Ted Danson and was the film debut of Zooey Deschanel. It also features future Dancing with the Stars alum and winner Kelly Monaco in a small (non-speaking) role.

Plot[link]

As a relative newcomer to town, Dr. Mumford (Loren Dean) seems charming and skillful to his neighbors and patients. His unique, frank approach to psychotherapy soon attracts patients away from the two therapists (David Paymer and Jane Adams) already working in the area.

Soon he is treating a variety of conditions, ranging from one man's attachment to dime-store erotic novels to an unhappy woman's compulsive shopping. Mumford befriends a billionaire computer mogul (Jason Lee) and a cafe waitress (Woodard) and he attempts to play matchmaker. He also begins to fall for a patient (Hope Davis) who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Together with an attorney (Martin Short), a patient Mumford had rejected because of his narcissism, the rival therapists conspire to find skeletons in Mumford's closet, hoping to destroy his reputation. And there are indeed skeletons galore, as a confidante of Mumford's soon finds out.

Cast[link]

• Loren Dean as Dr. Mumford
• Hope Davis as Sofie Crisp
• Jason Lee as Skip Skipperton
• Alfre Woodard as Lily
• Mary McDonnell as Althea Brockett
• Pruitt Taylor Vince as Henry Follett
• Zooey Deschanel as Nessa Watkins
• Martin Short as Lionel Dillard
• David Paymer as Dr. Ernest Delbanco
• Jane Adams as Dr. Phyllis Sheeler
• Kevin Tighe and Dana Ivey as Mr. and Mrs. Crisp
• Ted Danson as Jeremy Brockett
• Jason Ritter as Martin Brockett
• Elisabeth Moss as Katie Brockett
• Robert Stack as Himself
• Simon Helberg as College Roommate

Reception[link]

Mumford was generally considered a pleasant but forgettable film. Many critics expressed a general approval of the movie, but questioned the unpleasant back story (which contrasted with the overall tone of the film). The film has a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus "Memorable moments are few and far between."

The film, based on a $28 million budget, was a commercial failure, earning only $4,555,459 in the US.^[2]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mumford at the Internet Movie Database
• Mumford at AllRovi
• Mumford at Box Office Mojo
• Mumford at Rotten Tomatoes