Kasdan weaves ensemble into another engaging film

"Mumford"

Directed by: Lawrence Kasdan

Starring: Loren Dean, Hope Davis, Alfre Woodard, Jason Lee, Mary McDonnell

Rated: R

Lawrence Kasdan's foremost talent as a director is his ability to put together a world-class, truly ensemble cast. It also helps that he writes most of the movies he directs, but he always manages to get a group of folks and not always famous folks at that together to realize his vision with expert aplomb.

He first used this formula in 1983's "The Big Chill" with the likes of Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Meg Tilly, et al. "The Big Chill" was also Kevin Costner's first film. He played the central character and suicide victim who brought these old college chums back together. The one rub here is the fact that all of Costner's scenes ended up on the proverbial cutting room floor. Kasdan made it up to the actor, though, by casting him in his sprawling western "Silverado."

Kasdan's other brilliant ensemble piece was "Grand Canyon," which featured a rather dark, foreboding vision of life in modern-day Los Angeles, or any other modern metropolis.

With his latest effort, "Mumford," he gives us a setting much more pleasant than the L.A. of "Grand Canyon," but one that is nevertheless inhabited with a great bunch of well-developed characters.

The town, as well as the film's main character, are named Mumford. Doc Mumford is the new psychologist in the small town, and its residents have immediately taken to his easy-going ways and ability to listen to their problems.

Well, most of their problems. The local pharmacist has sexual fantasies but he, as himself, is not even in them. The Doc begins cutting him off before his sessions are officially over. One guy, an uptight lawyer played by Martin Short, gets booted out alltogether. For the most part, though, people seem pretty content with his couchside manner.

The big industry in Mumford is a high-tech, megabillion-dollar business started by local computer geek Skip Skipperton. Skip feels he needs some help but realizes that if word gets out that the head of a huge company like Panda Modems is seeking this kind of counsel, it might be bad for business. His reasons aren't selfish, by any means. If Panda shuts down, so too, does the town, which has become almost entirely dependent on the company. Skip hires Dr. Mumford just to pal around with him and be someone he can talk to. It seems Skip has never had a real friend, but the two hit it off.

Another new patient is Sophie Crisp, who's just come back to live with her parents. The doctors in the city can't pin her illness down, it may be Epstein-Barr virus or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and nothing seems to help. Nothing, that is, until she meets Dr. Mumford.

About this point in the movie we're faced with two big plot devices. One is the fact that Dr. Mumford is falling in love with Sophie, which is highly unethical. The other concerns a secret the Doc reveals to Skip. I'm not going to reveal that bit of information here, but it's probably in every other review you'll read. (And also in early trailers for the movie.)

Other subplots, which Kasdan weaves with great skill, involve Skipperton and Lily, who is Doc's landlady. Lily has all but sworn off men and Skip doesn't have any friends, much less girlfriends. The fact that she's a good 10 years older than he, and that the two would be an interracial couple, doesn't faze Skip at all.

The pharmacist meets a woman of his dreams who is recently separated from her pompous husband. One of her sons hooks up with the local high school wild girl and, in the end, thanks to the guidance of the good doctor, everyone seems to be cured, or at least happy.

What happens to Dr. Mumford, I will leave for the viewer.

I liked "Mumford" a lot. It gave me that warm feeling that some films do, once again mostly because of Kasdan's writing and his impeccable cast.

Dr. Mumford is played by Loren Dean, as affable an actor as you'll likely see. Skip is played by Jason Lee, most memorable to me as Banky in "Chasing Amy." Alfre Woodard, one of the most overlooked women in film, is Lily and, as always, nails her part to perfection. Relative newcomer Hope Davis, great in "Next Stop Wonderland," and my prediction for one of the finest actresses to emerge in the next millennium, is Sophie. Mary McDonnell is the ex-wife of the pompous ass, who's played by Ted Danson.

Martin Short, Robert Stack, and other folks you'll recognize (even if their names escape you) round out the cast.

"Mumford," in Kasdan's classic style, is a true ensemble piece and will go down as one of the best efforts in his catalog.

(Jim Wunderle works at Associated Video Producers and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.)

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