“Trauma Therapy: Psychosis,” directed by Gary Barth and written by Tom Malloy and David Josh Lawrence, is a disturbing thriller with pacing issues and a confusing plot. Despite its flaws, the film has a good theme. Malloy plays radical self-help teacher Tobin well.
A lot of studio or distributor influence is to blame for the film’s choppy editing and awkward pacing. One of the most obvious problems is the parts at the beginning and end where actor Tom Sizemore talks to an unnamed character about Tobin. These parts aren’t set up well, don’t tell new viewers what’s going on, and feel like they were added on for no reason. If these interviews were taken out, the story would be more tightly focused on the main events and characters.
“Trauma Therapy: Psychosis” follows controversial self-help guru Tobin in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. He creates an intense retreat to assist people in overcoming inner issues and harmful behaviors. Elizabeth (Hannah New) and John (Lawrence) assist him. Lily (Courtney Warner), Nicole (Megan Tremethick), Frank (Gordon Holliday), Jesse (Jamie Scott Gordon), and Daniel (Craig J. Seath) face life-threatening scenarios throughout Tobin’s harsh therapies. The crowd wonders if Tobin is crazy or if his harsh methods may help individuals be their best.
Tom Malloy’s Tobin is a memorable villain. His seductive and frightening act makes others question what he wants. The story’s tension comes from Hannah New’s chilly, stoic Elizabeth. Megan Tremethick and Courtney Warner both portray their characters’ mental and emotional agony well..
Despite its structuring issues, the film makes Tobin, Elizabeth, and John feel threatened and anxious. Tobin’s dramatic and often bizarre efforts to “help” the show’s characters lead to significant improvements and keep viewers fascinated. As the tasks get harder, tension increases, revealing Tobin’s strategy and making it disturbing but fascinating.
If its plot and pace were crisper, “Trauma Therapy: Psychosis” might have been a better horror-thriller. The film’s complex characters and moral ambiguity keep it engaging. The movie makes viewers wonder how far they’ll go when pushed to their boundaries, not with standing Tom Sizemore’s missed cameo. It’s disturbing and interesting to see how weak individuals are despite its poor execution.
