Episode 38 - "Step Brothers"

Welcome back to Analyze Scripts, where a psychiatrist and a therapist analyze what Hollywood gets right and wrong about mental health. Today, we're analyzing one of Dr. Furey's favorite movies - the 2008 comedy "Step Brothers" starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. In this lighthearted episode, we use the comedic depiction of two 40-something year-old men living with their parents to discuss failure to launch syndrome and common difficulties encountered when blending families. We also explore the depiction of an enabling vs dismissive parent, the thrapist-patient dynamics between Brennan and Denise, and the classic narcissistic traits embodied by evil older brother Derek. We hope you enjoy!

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[00:10] Dr. Katrina Furey: Hi, I'm Dr. Katrina Fury, a psychiatrist.

[00:12] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And I'm Portia Pendleton, a licensed clinical social worker.

[00:16] Dr. Katrina Furey: And this is Analyze Scripts, a podcast where two shrinks analyze the depiction of mental health in movies and TV shows.

[00:23] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Our hope is that you learn some legit info about mental health while feeling like you're chatting with your girlfriends.

[00:28] Dr. Katrina Furey: There is so much misinformation out there, and it drives us nuts.

[00:32] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And if someday we pay off our student loans or land a sponsorship, like.

[00:36] Dr. Katrina Furey: With a lay flat airline or a major beauty brand, even better.

[00:39] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So sit back, relax, grab some popcorn.

[00:42] Dr. Katrina Furey: And your DSM Five and enjoy. Welcome back for another episode. I am personally thrilled to be talking about one of my favorite movies of all time, the 2008 smash hit Step Brothers. I feel like in rewatching it for this podcast, I didn't even need to. I know every single line of dialogue, but I still love it so much.

[01:20] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I think my husband's favorite movie of all time.

[01:23] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yes. This movie also happens to always be on every time I'm in a hotel on TBS or where they're censoring a lot of the dialogue. It's still funny.

[01:34] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah. This movie is just, like, iconic. The cast is ridiculous. Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Adam Scott. We have Mary Steenbergen, who's also the mom and elf.

[01:46] Dr. Katrina Furey, MD: Yes.

[01:46] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Which we're going to be will Ferrell. So it's just like I think he likes working with her. She likes working with him. It's just they're great.

[01:53] Dr. Katrina Furey: I love it. Yeah.

[01:54] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Her voice and her mannerisms, I just love.

[01:57] Dr. Katrina Furey: She was so good in this role. Like, all the times when her and Richard Jenkins, who plays Jobak, like, when you can tell he's trying to lay down the law, and she's like, Robert thinks we agree. It's time for you to move, know. Or like, when he's so mad they destroyed his boat with the boats and host thing. And she's like, I am so upset that you two destroyed his boat. That being said, I thought you showed a lot of enthusiasm and inventiveness. And I was like, in some ways, you're so enabling them, but in other ways, that's so loving.

[02:33] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: She reminds me a lot of the actress herself and the roles that she's playing reminds me of the wife in What About Bob?

[02:43] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yes.

[02:44] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: She plays similar roles. She has a very similar cadence.

[02:48] Dr. Katrina Furey: The way she sort of like light, airy voice. I totally agree. Totally agree. And then we have Catherine Hahn as Alice, who is Adam Scott's wife. What do you think about the scene with them in the car with their children singing?

[03:04] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I sing along every time. It is so funny. I think I sing this in the car sometimes with know, I'm not a great like, I can tell that I'm not good, so I have an ear.

[03:17] Dr. Katrina Furey: And I know you're not the little boy's role.

[03:20] Dr. Katrina Furey, MD: No.

[03:20] Dr. Katrina Furey: You might be Catherine. I think I'm her.

[03:22] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And someone can yell, flat.

[03:24] Dr. Katrina Furey, MD: Flat.

[03:25] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: One $200 voice lessons a week. Offer this. And I was like, wow, that is so mean. So mean.

[03:32] Dr. Katrina Furey: He is so mean to everyone. Right?

[03:35] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Like, brutal, slurs aside. Like, mean.

[03:44] Dr. Katrina Furey: Do you think he is a narcissist?

[03:47] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I think that he is a not human person....