Review of Failure to Launch (2006) by Elaine S — 25 Mar 2009

The expert is Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker), who believes that men continue to live at home out of low self-esteem. Her approach is to establish a relationship with the man to build up his confidence and transfer his attachment from his parents to her.

Her step-by-step process is deceitful; while avoiding physical intimacy she allows her subject to fall in love with her, pretending to like what he likes, allowing him to help her through a (false) crisis, obtaining the approval of his friends, and giving him the opportunity to teach her something: he then moves out to become more independent.