The connoisseur of human souls - that's what a mentalist is

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The brainchild of the famous US producer Bruno Heller "The Mentalist", the best series of which are endlessly ready to be reviewed by adherents of the psychological thriller genre, has already exceeded 120 episodes. In the United States, at the end of September, the sixth season of the TV detective started.

Who is a mentalist?

This is a person who, based on his abilities as a hypnotist, for example, can arrange a clairvoyant session, tell about your past and future from the position of extrasensory perception. In fact, there is no magic in nature - the "beneficiary" of the series with the strange surname Jane believes and acts according to the principle: "sleight of hand and no fraud" (read - dexterity of thought), skillfully manipulating the minds of others. Once in one of the TV shows, he had the imprudence to speak impartially about a wanted maniac. He took revenge in accordance with the occupation: he destroyed the daughter and wife of a psychologist. Since then, the capture of "Bloody John" has become a fixed idea for Patrick Jane. To this end, he voluntarily undertook to advise the CBI (in reality, such an agency does not exist, but the abbreviation stands for “California Bureauinvestigations"). Easily and unobtrusively, he talks with the relatives of the victims, suspects and witnesses, fishing out from them threads of information that lead either to one villain or to another. A connoisseur of human souls - this is, first of all, what a mentalist is.

From witchcraft to psychoanalysis

According to many, the success of the film was ensured by the Australian Simon Baker chosen for the lead role. They are probably right, a rare charm, masculinity, intelligence - all this plays into the hands of the creators of the television series "Mentalist". Actors in general in it are selected organically. I would like to pay special attention to the performer of the main female role Robin Tunney. The actress embodies on the screen the image of detective Teresa Lisbon, whom Patrick obeys by occupation, she seems to have figured out for a long time who a mentalist is. The actress announced herself almost twenty years ago with the first major role of a girl participating in a witches' coven in the thriller Witchcraft. Now the character she created is that of an independent, self-confident woman approaching middle age. She and Jane are like two opposite-pole charges - they seem to be attracted, but no, no, and they will repel. Together, however, this is a well-coordinated acting duet that looks very good.

There are many analogues, but Jane is one

The Mentalist has a steady success, its television audience in the producing country alone ranges from 11 to 17.5 million people (different seasons were popular in different ways). And those who watch the series for a long time and withpleasure (it also premiered in the US in the fall, five years ago), and those who criticize the show like to compare it with works performed in the same vein. With projects "Lie to me", for example, or the British "Sherlock". Of course, there are some points of contact, but "The Mentalist" still leads its own, special line, focusing in Jane's investigations precisely on subtle psychologism. In fact, the author of the idea, Heller himself, is not averse to comparing Patrick with the world-famous inhabitant of Baker Street, calling his hero the Holmes of our days, and after all, someone who, and the creator knows exactly who a mentalist is!