The Couch Trip (1988)

In Michael Ritchie's darkly comedic *The Couch Trip* (1988), the chaotic premise is set in motion when escaped delinquent John W. Burns, Jr. (Dan Aykroyd) cunningly assumes the identity of Dr. Lawrence Baird, a renowned psychiatrist. He infiltrates the popular radio show of the actual Dr. Maitlin, immediately injecting his own brand of unconventional wisdom and wild pronouncements into the airwaves. This audacious impersonation throws the carefully constructed world of his unsuspecting listeners and the desperate producers of the show into a tailspin, as Burns's rogue therapy sessions become an unexpected hit, blurring the lines between sanity and madness for all involved. *The Couch Trip* firmly belongs on a list of Michael Ritchie's best films due to its incisive satirical bite and his masterful ability to weave absurdity with social commentary. Ritchie consistently explored themes of disillusionment, the perversion of institutions, and the search for authenticity, and *The Couch Trip* hits all these notes with a vibrant, anarchic energy. The film hilariously skewers the superficiality of talk radio, the self-help industry, and the anxieties of a society desperate for quick fixes. Ritchie's direction amplifies the escalating madness, demonstrating his talent for capturing the inherent comedic chaos that arises when a charismatic, albeit fraudulent, figure disrupts the established order, making it a quintessential example of his unique brand of Hollywood satire.