In Need of Therapy
Life was good for fashion designer Emily Edmonds (Deanna Russo) as not only did she enjoy her work but she was dating the perfect man, Mark (Jeff Geddis), and they were soon to be married. But then tragedy strikes when Mark dies in a plane crash leaving Emily distraught, so distraught that she tries to take her own life. It leads to her being committed to a mental institution where she is treated by Dr. Thorne (Lauren Holly). Whilst initially helpful Emily soon becomes concerned by the attention which Dr. Thorne is giving her to the point that Dr. Thorne is in need of her own therapist as she becomes obsessed with Emily.
Why doesn't the stunning young woman who lives up the road from me say goodbye to her boyfriend in a dressing gown which reveals her sexy underwear. I am not being sexist but it is one of the countless ridiculous scenes which fill "Do No Harm" as Emily says bye to Mark with her gown open and her toned and frankly sexy body on show. But hey what else did I expect as "Do No Harm" is a modern made for TV movie where not only is Montreal once again masquerading as a major American city, New York this time, but we are presented with attractive stars who even in moments of grief look beautiful with their underwear clearly visible through their clothes. I am not intentionally fixating on the underwear but I can't help it as it is one of the most memorable aspects of "Do No Harm".
Anyway, distracting myself from the movie's look and we are served up this story which quickly becomes about a depressed woman being treated by a psychiatrist who has some seriously deep rooted issues of her own which makes her in need of some therapy herself. I suppose it is an okay idea but it for all sense and purpose makes "Do No Harm" another movie all about obsession and not as good as some other TV movies about obsession.
In fairness "Do No Harm" is not as clean cut as it serves on a plate an idea which is meant to place a seed of thought in your mind. It comes when Emily has no interest in tracking down her mum to tell her about her wedding as she skipped town when Emily was just six. Yes we are expected to wonder whether the missing mum has some connection to Dr. Thorne's own obsession with Emily. I won't tell you whether it has any relevance in the end other than to just remind you we are talking TV movie here and one where look is the only depth you will get.
Now why is it that actors in modern TV movies can't do every day, yes I know watching every day is boring but when in an early scene Emily does the sexy girlfriend who slips off her robe to reveal sexy underwear it feels so false that it feels cheesy. Now in fairness Deanna Russo is sexy and when it comes to doing depressed she is not terrible but the whole movie ends up about how she looks rather than how she acts. Then on the other hand you have Lauren Holly who gives us evil and right from the word go it is a performance which is meant to make us question Dr. Thorne and in fairness she does make us question her but it is over the top and almost at the point of being entertaining for being forced.
What this all boils down to is "Do No Harm" is not a good movie with numerous flaws but kind of belongs to that group of modern TV movies which are entertaining in a bad way and not hard to follow.
