Blessed with a plot premise made in cinematic heaven, ”The Patient” transcends this premise with two stellar acting performances. You probably already know the storyline: a psychotherapist is chained to a wall in the house of a serial killer, who demands to be cured. Steve Carell plays the empathetic, yet self-doubting shrink and his performance must be a career standout, so perfectly does he inhabit this ordinary person in the most dire circumstances. Domnhall Gleeson is equally stunning as the distinctive, fearsome, yet tormented mass murderer. Other characters pop in and out in minor roles, but The Patient is essentially a claustrophobic two-actor play, and the term “claustrophobic” is entirely apt as we shudder our way through ten pithy episodes, each gorgeously ratcheting up the tension. The ending was always going to be intriguing, no matter how it was played, but the climax opted for works well. Both creepy and moving, The Patient is a streaming treat.
Book, movie/show, and album reviews
