Movie Review - Therapy for a Vampire

Therapy for a Vampire *** (out of 5) (NR) We seldom look to German-language films for droll comedies. That makes this little offering either a welcome exception, or the beginning of a new trend. Vienna. 1932. Night. Dr. Sigmund Freud receives a mysterious, aristocratic new patient who claims he needs help because he lacks “self-reflection”. We learn that the count loathes his wife, mourning the loss of his only true love some 500 years earlier. The countess is driving him nuts over her frustration of not being able to see herself in a mirror or photo for centuries.

Freud recommends a young artist to try painting her portrait (which also never worked before). Unfortunately, his girlfriend is a nondead ringer for the count’s soul(less)mate of yore. So he pursues her, while trying to keep the missus distracted by the young painter’s efforts.

Unlike Roman Polanski’s The Fearless Vampire Slayers, or Pardon Me but Your Teeth are in My Neck and most Dracula-derivative comedies, there’s no slapstick or big yuks in the mix. Nor should anyone be put off by fear of the gore factor. The humor is low-key, yet effective, with some surprises in the clever script from writer/director David Ruhm. This one’s a character comedy for grown-ups in which some of the principals just happen to be ... differently abled.
(6/24/16)