Abstract
This book provides something of a carefree romp through DSM. It is a fun read and yet it also presents a thorough review of the entire DSM manual. Many of the films date back as far as the 1930s and for me (at this advanced age) they were extremely meaningful. The younger generation of trainees may have less familiarity with old movies and I am not sure how relevant they may find them as sources of clinical material.
For those who do have good familiarity with the movies, this is a wonderful way of reviewing DSM and bringing the various syndromes to life. For those who don't, it is unlikely that they would spend 90–120 minutes viewing a film as a case study – and certainly not viewing the several hundred films that are presented. There is the occasional character/syndromal study that is of such excellence that it could be recommended to students and trainees. For example the Three faces of Eve and Sybil: both depict dissociative identity disorder, they are real-life stories, excellent films and accurate representations of an unusual condition that many trainees may never encounter.
There is also the occasional film that is just so educational that it is worthwhile asking trainees to invest the 120 minutes or so required. Barbara Streisand's Prince of tides being a prime example – a wonderful illustration of boundary violations and how not to practise psychiatry.
If copyright restrictions did not apply, the book would have extra value for teaching purposes; it would provide an instant guide to the films that illustrate particular syndromes or disorders. How convenient if one could just pirate a clip or too!
The style of writing is engaging, entertaining and easy to read. Psychiatrically it is sound too and I could not quibble with it clinically. Mostly, Robinson chose his illustrative movies well – one very minor exception being body dysmorphic disorder.
Robinson's knowledge of the film world is encyclopaedic – obviously. As an added bonus, he gives each film a rating, so the book is a useful companion to one's TV guide.
Occasionally I found the characterizations a little tantalizing and felt I wanted a more in-depth analysis. At the same time I was tantalized in an entirely different way – with the urge to get the movie – this included some I had not seen and some that I had seen many years earlier.
For those of you who know the film world fairly well, Reel psychiatry will be a lot of fun and a painless and entertaining way of reviewing the DSM. If you don't know your movies well you might like to dip into it anyway and follow up on those that appeal – especially if the author has given them a triple rating.