Ah, ‘Shrink’—that intriguing meeting point between Hollywood glitz and the knotty, sometimes messy world of therapy. I watched it Tuesday evening, after a long day of trying to decipher the bus timetable here in Stockholm. So, let’s just say my brain was already in need of a bit of a shrink.

The film stars Kevin Spacey as Henry Carter, this loaded therapist to the stars, who’s more tangled up than a box of familjepizza (yes, those do exist!). Spacey, with his signature drawl, brings out this fascinating, and somewhat tragic character—he’s the guy who can solve everyone else’s problems, but when it comes to his own, he’s all thumbs.

Two things struck me. One, the atmosphere—it’s L.A., but not the sunshine and palm trees version. It’s the L.A. of overcast skies and dimly lit offices, almost like a scene out of a Håkan Hellström song. And second, the characters—everyone’s broken, searching for epiphanies in the bottom of a whiskey glass or a prescription bottle.

There’s this moment, don’t remember the exact line, where Henry says something so brutally honest it felt like a kick in the gut. It reminded me of this old neighbor in Södermalm, who used to say, “Life is like a second-hand store; sometimes you find treasures, and sometimes just old rubbish.” It’s the simplicity in life’s complexity, ja du vet.

Not everything lands though. The film juggles quite a few storylines, and like trying to keep knäckebröd intact in a crowded backpack, some important bits get crumbly. You look at the screen and think, “Is this where we’re going?” But hey, that’s life, right? Chaotic and unpredictable.

Honestly, if you’re in the mood for a film that mixes cynicism with heartfelt undertones and provides some pretty decent insights, especially on a rainy Sunday, give it a whirl. Grab some lösgodis, get comfy, and see what you find.

Oh and by the way, here’s a trailer if you wanna peek: Shrink