A Dangerous Method Movie Review

Barb and I go to matinees at our local art-house movie theatre, the Main in Royal Oak, a lot during the winter. On Sunday there may be six or seven people during a screening (we’re not complaining- we generally have the place to ourselves). We expected the same last Sunday when we went to see the new David Cronenberg film, A Dangerous Method. THE LINE WOUND AROUND THE LOBBY and the concession stand may have run out of popcorn. I was pleasantly surprised that so many David Cronenberg fans abound. If this afternoon crowd was an indicator, A Dangerous Method may be Cronenberg’s most successful movie to date, and I’m thrilled.

One Line Synopsis

Carl Jung hooks up with a chick who gets off by getting spanked while Sigmund Freud simmers with jealousy.

Director

David Cronenberg

Screenplay

Christopher Hampton based on John Kerr’s book A Most Dangerous Method.

Standout Actors

Keira Knightly (convincingly disturbed) as Sabina and Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung.

Best Bit Part

The servant holding the silver platter of food during dinner with Sigmund Freud and family.

Two scenes in the film (aside from Knightly’s jaw-jutting, psycho moments) stood out for me. The first is where Freud is put in his social-strata place when he and Jung board the ship bound for America. Jung is escorted to a stateroom while Freud travels second class. This deepens the rift between them. The second and most profound moment for me is when Jung explains the difference between Freud’s world view and his own. Freud wants his patients to understand the world in order to live in it. Jung wants his patients to understand who they are or were in order to become who they want to be. I opt for the Jungian point of view.

 Grade: A

Movie Review: Shame

We went and saw Shame at our local art house theater early this evening to kick off New Year’s Eve. Glad we did- we practically had the place to ourselves.

One Line Synopsis

A sex addict cannot have intimate, personal relationships with women.

Director

Steve McQueen

Standout Actors

Michael Fassbender, Lucy Walters

Best Bit Part

Robert Montano as the annoying waiter.

Michael Fassbender is a controlled and courageous actor. The guy’s just spectacular in this movie. I can’t think of anyone else who could make this character more true to life. The only negatives are the movie dragged a little, and if I had to sit through one more verse and chorus of his sister singing New York New York I would have probably left the theatre.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Grade:  A-