- Convinced that he's dying from a bizarre array of symptoms, a struggling comedian returns home to visit his five childhood doctors in a single day, all while desperately trying to avoid the friends and family that he left behind.
- Spencer, a struggling comedian and hypochondriac, is convinced that he's dying from a bizarre array of symptoms. Out of options and armed with a binder full of WebMD printouts, he flies cross-country to his quaint hometown in upstate New York to consult with his five childhood doctors in a single day, planning to take the red-eye back to L.A. that night without seeing any of his friends or family. The only exception is Jay- the sweet, emotionally repressed townie Spencer convinces to chauffeur him around. "5 Doctors" is the story of their increasingly disastrous day together, as Spencer is prodded, dilated, and biopsied into accepting that the cause of his symptoms and his reasons for coming home may be more complicated than he thought.—Matt Porter
- The film tells the story of Spencer, a struggling comedian and hypochondriac convinced that he's dying from a bizarre array of symptoms. Out of options and armed with a binder full of WebMD printouts, he flies cross-country to his quaint hometown in upstate New York to consult with his five childhood doctors in a single day, planning to take the red-eye back to L.A. that night without seeing any of his friends or family. The only exception is Jay- the sweet, emotionally repressed townie Spencer convinces to chauffeur him around. "5 Doctors" is the story of their increasingly disastrous day together, as Spencer is prodded, dilated, and biopsied into accepting that the cause of his symptoms and his reasons for coming home may be more complicated than he thought.
- Spencer Kaminski appeared in high school plays in Hastings, New York in 2004. Today, Spencer (Max Azulay) just completed an audition in Los Angeles and has arrived in New York City. After an overnight flight and a commute, Spencer's friend Jay Feldman (Matt Porter) picks him up at the train station. Jay has not read Spencer's email very thoroughly and is surprised to learn he is driving Spencer to five separate doctor's appointments that day. Jay is an art teacher at the same school he and Spencer attended as youths. Jay indicates he does have to stop at the school at some point in the day. The first appointment for Spencer is to see his dermatologist, Lauren Suzuki (Jodi Long). In the waiting room, Jay questions Spencer on why he does not see doctors in Los Angeles. Spencer says these are the doctors he trusts and that he is busy auditioning for roles since his video, "The Fucked-up Brother-in-law" went viral. Jay indicates he spent part of the previous day talking to a dog. Spencer describes a huge variety of symptoms to Dr. Suzuki culminating in a feeling like he is dying. Spencer leaves with an oversized gauze pack on his neck. Jay pulls into his school and sees Spencer's cousin. Spencer claims he is going to surprise his family later and does want any of his friends or relatives know he is in town. Spencer sees yard signs indicating his mother is running for mayor. He goes inside the school and finds Jay with his colleague Lisa (Emily Walton) who is worried that she is balding because someone at a concert she attended burst a glowstick over her head. Spencer tries to diagnose her condition as anxiety, before he hastens Jay out of the room to pursue his doctor schedule itinerary. On his way out, Spencer runs into a former teacher of his, the rebellious Ned Sulanaro (Adam Dannheisser) who invites him to speak in his class later. Spencer next appointment is with Dr. Alan Goldsmith (Jeremy Shamos), his dentist. As he is about to see the doctor, his mother's friend Laurie (Jordan Baker) emerges and recognizes Spencer. She blabbers on about a person she knows who had hammer toe surgery. Spencer asks Laurie not to tell his mother that he has seen her. Spencer worries he has mouth cancer, but the dentist finds three cavities that need filling. Spencer reschedules another doctor's appointment to later in the day so he and Jay can have lunch. As they eat, Jay asks Spencer about his sister Jo who has battled with addiction. Spencer uses the time trying to find funny things about the restaurant he could use as stand-up comedy material. Davis (Joe Pera) recognizes Spencer. Davis had an incident selling illegal muscle relaxers but then became an ordained minister as a goof for a wedding but now feels he is growing into the role. Davis also works at a restaurant named Antoinette's. Spencer tries his newly written cream of broccoli soup on Davis, but it bombs. Then Spencer's cousins enter the diner. Spencer puts on his sunglasses and crawls away. Jay and Spencer return to the school where Jay feels the need to change his computer background. Spencer finds a chili pot that Spencer made that leads him into Jay's story of a date he had with Lisa, that culminated with sex but then Lisa's desire not to have Jay sleep over or pursue anything except a friendship. The evening clearly meant more to Jay than Lisa. Spencer says that Jay needs to be loud emotionally and let his feelings show. As Spencer watches play practice on the stage with fond memories, Jay meets with Amber (Annabelle Zasowski) who tries to strong-arm Jay into not failing her class. Ned recognizes Spencer in the auditorium and invites Spencer to speak to the class. Spencer talks about how awkward he felt in 10th grade, his sister's drinking problem, his overbearing mother, and how Ned's class and being in the plays gave him an identity. Spencer leads a theater exercise where two girls talk to each other honestly. Jay stares at a burnt bagel when Lisa walks in. Jay defends his bagel as a proud bagel. At the end of the class, Spencer asks Ned for advice. Ned encourages Spencer to follow his inner voice and not listen to the criticism of friends or agents. Back in the car, Jay insists he and Spencer stop at his dad's house. A TV crew is filming outside on Spencer's mother's lawn and Spencer feels he must sneak onto the house. Jay's dad is trying to clean out his basement so he can rejoin the dating scene and entertain women in a finished basement. He leaves the boys to move out the heavy things. Spencer and Jay find an old keyboard and sing the song "Ribosome" which they created for a biology class instead of writing the required paper. When they are back in the car, Spencer gets a call from his mother. Spencer theorizes he was seen on TV sneaking into Jay's father's house. He does not answer the call. As Spencer and Jay are discussing Spencer's surprise visit to his family, Jay rear ends the car ahead of him. Spencer jumps out of the car and enters Antoinette's where an open mic event is occurring. Spencer signs up as Kevin the comedian. Kevin's act is met with silence. Davis encourages Jay to sign up for open mic and do something. When he is called up, Jay tells the story of the dog walking next to him and how for a moment it became his best friend. His story is met with audience's approval. Spencer gets in an argument with Antoinette about cutting his set off. Antoinette ends up punching Spencer in the face giving him a black eye and banning him from performing. In the car, Spencer starts carrying on about having cancer which upsets Jay. Jay tells him to stop lying and Spencer tells him he plans to return to LA that night, not going to an art show, a steakhouse or see his parents. Jay tells him he has to go back to work and cannot drive him around anymore. Spencer calls Jay a walking doormat. Spencer speed walks to his next appointment with Dr. Larry Kaplan, proctologist. Spencer learns from the nurse that Dr Kaplan died the previous year and he would be seeing Dr Fisher (Bobby Moynihan) who turns out to be a childhood friend's older brother. Spencer reveals that he has a bump near his anus. Spencer remembers Dr. Fisher as smoking lots of pot in high school and cannot believe he is a real doctor. They begin arguing and Dr. Fischer pops Spencer in the face. Spencer runs out of the office and avoids his Uncle Dave as he scurried off. As Jay pulls up to the school, he sees Ned kiss Lisa before Ned leaves for the day. Spencer calls Betsy his agent who does not believe Spencer will get the part for which he auditioned. Spencer's next appointment is with Dr. Oscar Lippmann (Peter Friedman), a general practitioner. Lippmann tells Spencer about how he was a resident at UCLA and convinced himself he had Kohler's disease. For a brief moment, Lippmann like the simplicity of the life of just him fighting the disease, but he got over it quickly when he looked over at his girlfriend holding his hand. Meanwhile, Jay confronts Lisa and tells him all his feelings he experienced in the time they spent "above the bookstore" with a young student in the room. Lisa rejects him stating their feelings are not the same. Jay states that he expected that reply but expressed his goal was simply to allow himself to feel the feelings. Spencer meets Ned at the diner and orders the cream of broccoli soup. Ned gets a call from Pottery Lisa which Spencer observes. Spencer pushes Ned for the truth about his relationship with Lisa. Ned insists he is just trying to keep it an arms distance affair since he is married. Spencer starts to admire Jay's meek attitude when comparing it to Ned's "Fuck You" style. After school, Jay goes home to his dad's house who doesn't approve of the appearance of the weatherman on TV. Dr. Arish Farah (Arish Sahani) is Spencer's ophthalmologist. Spencer gets a phone call in the waiting room from his agent who has good news on his audition. He has a second interview at noon the next day. Jay sees Jo (Zoe Azulay) as he is taking out the trash. As they sort the recyclables, Jo already knows all about Spencer being home and Jay driving him around all day. Jo thinks Spencer has hit a wall and wanted to come home but is going about it all wrong because he is scared. Her description gives Jay a new understanding. Spencer's mom Ellen (Ann Gulian) roars out of the driveway headed to the ophthalmologist. Jay and Jo follow in his car. Spencer has his eyes dilated and is in the waiting room when his mother arrives. Ellen finds Spencer's binder full of symptoms and medical reports when Laurie sees the hiding Spencer jump out and escape down the stairs and onto the street. After Spender bumps into acquaintances and family members, Jay and Jo pick up Spencer on the street. Jay stops at an athletic field to tell Amber he is failing her. Jay takes some headshot of Spencer before his interview. Then they all head to the train station. Jo is interested in learning the outcome of the "Dog Walkers" pilot and makes Spencer promise to have a real conversation with his mother. As Spencer readies to board the train he tells Jay he feels healthy. As he waits for the train alone, a stray dog approaches and Spencer talks to the dog. After Jay's art fair, all the art the doctor s waiting room walls are being replaced with artistic photos that Jay took.
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