Matthew Perry’s recent and untimely passing has, no doubt, inspired his many fans to revisit and binge-watch episodes of Friends. Though the series hasn’t aired since 2004, it still holds up as a great show and Perry is still great in it. He seamlessly and egolessly blends into his ensemble cast at most times, but still manages to sporadically stand out from it with his one-of-a-kind presence and comedic timing. Watching copious amounts of Friends episodes just seems like the right and most obvious thing to do to remember and pay respect to Perry’s many talents and charms.
Perry’s work doesn’t start and end solely with Friends, however, as he gave numerous performances throughout his career that further showcase his comedic genius and often-underused vulnerability as a dramatic performer. Luckily, these qualities are on full display in Matthew Perry’s lead performance in the little-seen 2007 independent film, Numb. It is a great, moderately edgy, bluntly honest, endlessly hilarious, sincerely heartfelt, and endearingly hopeful film that fearlessly tackles the subject of mental illness. It also features the best, funniest, and most emotionally complex performance of Perry’s career.
Written and directed by Harris Goldberg, Numb is an autobiographical film about a successful screenwriter (Perry) who suffers from depression and depersonalization disorder, an uncommon condition in which an individual detachedly experiences life as if they are watching themselves from the outside. Perry struggles with different medications and psychiatric doctors, unable to find any true relief or improvement. When he meets a charmingly feisty and big-hearted studio executive assistant (Lynn Collins), he falls hard and puts even more pressure on himself to conquer his illnesses. His efforts are met with little to no success. Further despair and alienation ensue, and Perry is forced to face the fact that he just might have to coexist with his condition for the rest of his life.
Goldberg’s highly personal script offers an insider’s perspective on the many struggles associated with treating mental illness. As frustrated and as lonely as Perry’s experiences may make him, the film never sinks into moments that are depressing or maudlin. Despite how serious its subject matter can be, Numb is almost always a humorous, light-hearted, and feel-good movie. It achieves this without trivializing or muting its more somber moments, which is an extraordinarily impressive accomplishment. Numb tackles some very serious and pertinent topics, but they congruently coexist with an overall life-affirming tone. This makes the film every bit as much of an accessible and relatable piece of entertainment as it is a meaningful and revelatory examination of the human condition.
The film’s unobtrusive and subtle filmmaking techniques service the script perfectly. Goldberg and his team never draw attention to themselves, always allowing the story, richly developed characters, and talented cast members to be at the forefront of the viewer’s attention. The choices made behind the camera are disciplined, mature, and grounded, never succumbing to a forced or distracting style.
The supporting cast is flawless. Lynn Collins is adorable, tough, and wholly naturalistic as Perry’s foul-mouthed and endlessly understanding love interest. Bob Gunton is hilariously pompous as Perry’s Harvard-educated but still-clueless psychiatrist. Kevin Pollak is dry, likable, and level-headed as Perry’s long-suffering writing partner. Mary Steenburgen shines in a role unlike anything she has ever before played, portraying an increasingly volatile and unstable cognitive behavior specialist who ultimately gives Perry’s mental health issues a run for their money.
And then, of course, there is Matthew Perry’s lead performance. His portrayal of a neurotic, pill-popping depressive with a rare mental disorder surely struck a chord with his well-publicized drug and mental health struggles. Perry seems to put everything he has into the role, bravely allowing his endless affability to mix with his troubling interior demons. The resulting performance is messily, tragically, and amusingly human. An actor without Perry’s natural charisma and skills could never have pulled off the role in such an effective, unique, and memorable manner. It is the most personal and most accomplished performance of his career. It is also, quite unfairly, one of his most obscure. If anything positive can result from Perry leaving us far too soon, it is partially in motivating people to seek out his lesser-known works such as this marvelous film.
Numb is a very special movie with a very special story made by some highly gifted people. Its success largely rides on the portrayal of its lead character, a near-hopelessly flawed but still extraordinarily lovable man who desperately wants to improve himself but just can’t seem to figure out how. It is a role that seems to have been written specifically for Perry, as there is no other actor in his generation who could have done it more justice. Now that he’s gone, it’s hard not to think about the first time you fell in love with him and how robbed we all are to never have the chance to be surprised by him again. Watching Numb for the first time is guaranteed to not only surprise you, but it will also make you fall in love with Matthew Perry all over again.
GRADE: A
