The Mesmerist

A man (Neil Patrick Harris) and his fiancé return home for the death of her father, only to encounter a mesmerist, who hypnotizes the dying man.

The Mesmerist tries to be many things: a comedy, a drama, a satire of 1950’s society, even a horror movie. Unfortunately it succeeds at none.

Sure, it has a few funny moments (and only a few), but the script simply isn’t very funny, dramatic, satirical, or scary.

Neil Patrick Harris, who has a gift for comedic timing, does what he can in role that doesn’t allow much, while the rest of the cast flounders.