Reel Psychiatry is a valuable resource for teachers and scholars in medical humanities, psychiatry, and film studies as well as a fascinating introduction to both the multi-axial approach of diagnosing mental illnesses and the myriad cinematic depictions of them. There is a long-standing and well-documented relationship between movies and psychiatry, notably discussed in works such as Psychiatry and the Cinema by G. and K. Gabbard.

For many non-psychiatrists, movies have provided the main exposure to and experience of the symptoms and treatments of psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia in 0133 (see annotation) or dependent personality disorder in What About Bob? or inhalant intoxication in Blue Velvet. For many psychiatrists, movies have provided ready access to the storehouse of images that dominate the unconscious such as those in Suddenly Last Summer and the complex of motivations that make up an unforgettable character such as Eve in 0022 (see annotation).

What Robinson contributes is an assessment of the accuracy of film depictions of psychiatric conditions with the express objective of identifying the behaviors and actions that best illustrate the symptoms of any given condition. In addition to competent summaries of approximately 145 films (all English-speaking), Robinson provides a list of key organizations, a selective bibliography, and a movie index. This last resource lists the title of the film and the principle diagnosis portrayed in it.