Shrink

Shrink starring Kevin Spacey plays in the sand of searing Hollywood satires, more Swimming With Sharks than The Player. The tone is caustic throughout. But for a movie where all of the characters are damaged or flawed that attitude makes sense.
Pot smoking psychiatrists must be the latest role to become stereotyped since Spacey, whose Henry Carter likes to wake and bake, mines territory explored in last year's The Wackness by Ben Kingsley. Spacey doesn't allow his characterization to wallow in cliches, he's too good an actor for that. Yet Shrink overall shows little originality in its narrative by once again introducing a series of unconnected people who over the course of the film cross paths. Unlike Crash or Crossing Over (to mention just a few films that use this template) Shrink has a bone to pick with show business.
Carter has a penchant for self destruction brought on in part by the high profile afforded his best selling book on suicide, not to add his wife recently killed herself. Other characters are like Carter in the sense that they each have something they offer to others. In the case of Shrink's most irritable yet compelling character Patrick (Dallas Roberts), the head of a powerful talent agency, that would be his ability to handle A-list talent. Less interesting but still believable if also underwritten parts are filled by Saffron Burrows, Jack Huston, Keke Palmer, Pell James and Mark Webber. (There's also a cameo from Robin Williams that's equal parts profound and hilarious.) Roberts in particular acts in scene-stealing mode throughout and his vicious turn as an agent sets a new standard for corruption of the soul. Another character sketched all too briefly by the film and played by Jesse Plemons is Carter's pot dealer who sells weed by appointment carrying his wares with such names as Northern Lights, Afghan Black, Pussy Finger and the dread Christmas in Vietnam in a fishing tackle box.
Any of these characters could play the lead in their own movie especially Patrick since he's such a bastard he makes Daniel Plainview seem like a warm guy. However Spacey owns this film and his trajectory gives Shrink depth and a rooting interest.