A Therapy (2012)

A Therapy is the kind of short film that reminds you how luxurious a “commercial” can feel when it’s made with real cinematic wit and two actors who know exactly how to play a room. Roman Polanski stages a crisp, urbane comedy of manners where Ben Kingsley’s razor-precise timing and Helena Bonham Carter’s mischievous unpredictability turn simple conversation into a delicious little duel. It’s stylish without being smug, funny without straining, and so elegantly put together that the Prada sheen becomes part of the joke rather than the point. If you’re looking for a full-length story, it may feel slight, but as a bite-sized tonic of classy humor and top-tier performance, it’s hard to resist.

A Therapy is a slick, Prada-funded short that aims for a dry, upscale comedy vibe, with Polanski staging a controlled little power game between patient and therapist. If you’re looking for a fully formed story, big laughs, or anything emotionally substantial, it’s likely to feel more like a stylish sketch than a satisfying film. The biggest reason it won’t be for some viewers is simple: if you can’t separate art from artist, Polanski’s history will overshadow everything on screen and make the experience feel uncomfortable or outright unacceptable. On the plus side, it’s brief, well-shot, and competently acted—just don’t expect it to justify itself beyond being a polished fashion-world curio.