Directed by:
David CronenbergCinematography:
Peter SuschitzkyComposer:
Howard ShoreCast:
Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel, Sarah Gadon, Katharina Palm, André Hennicke, Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey (more)VOD (1)
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Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Dr. Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) as his patient in A DANGEROUS METHOD. Jung's weapon is the method of his master, the renowned Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen). Both men fall under Sabina's spell. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (13)
So, let’s sum it up. What we have here is a movie where the main parts are Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. And on top of that we have this crazy girl, who had won a windfall in her life and is now making up for it with sexual deviation. The setting – both Zurich and Vienna – is more than nice. And last but not least, there is a cast of actors in which one is better than the other. Judge for yourselves: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley or Vincent Cassel. That’s quite a cast of actors, isn’t it? But David Cronenberg lays it on you in the first minute that you immediately have to stop and think about whether Keira is serious about acting or whether she should maybe call it quits after this film and disappear into another area of art. And then you also realize that even though Jung and Freud are quite interesting characters from history, you will be so bored with them that even your ninety-year-old grandma whose only hobby is to feed her chickens twice a day could not be more dull. I’d been looking forward to an interesting premise and what I got was utter disappointment in all respects. At first sight, it’s such an interesting movie, but at second sight you won’t believe it a corner of the street in Vienna, let alone Zurich.
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David Cronenberg is known for delving into human sexuality in his films, but here he takes a more intellectual approach, focusing on the psychological aspects rather than the explicit details seen in his earlier works. I’ve never been particularly interested in Freud or Jung, so I’m not deeply familiar with their work or legacy. Thus, I have to trust Cronenberg’s portrayal of these two iconic figures. The subject matter is fascinating, but it required my full attention to avoid missing anything. The film is dialogue-heavy, and the conversations are often conducted in complex, technical language, making it easy to get a bit lost at times. I was absolutely captivated by the directorial precision, beautiful interiors, and the stunning settings. Visually, the film is incredibly impressive, showcasing Cronenberg’s top-tier craftsmanship. The acting is also top-notch. Michael Fassbender proves once again that he’s one of the best actors of his generation, and Keira Knightley and Viggo Mortensen deliver brilliant performances as well. Despite all these positives, A Dangerous Method remains a somewhat challenging film for me. If I had a deeper interest in psychoanalysis and analytical psychology, I’m sure I’d appreciate it much more. As it stands, it’s a high-quality film that broadened my knowledge, but it didn’t profoundly impact or resonate with me.
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Sinfully unexciting. Formally, A Dangerous Method is a film with very little to reproach, and it will probably delight film theorists, but I’d be lying to myself if I gave it a higher rating. I just didn’t like it, I didn’t find it interesting in the least and the idea of having to watch it again is pretty terrifying. Cronenberg’s old perversion and subversiveness have disappeared under a ton of academically precise make-up, and now just bubble peacefully deep beneath the surface. And looking for it is not fun.
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I would expect some wild in the form of decapitated heads or at least explicit sexual creations from David Cronenberg, but there is nothing like that in this film. Well, there is a certain effort towards the latter, but it's more of an artistic walk around it rather than something happening. So, as viewers, we're left with nothing else but to rely on the superb performances, the sensitive film aesthetics, the excellent period setting, and exceptionally well-handled psychology, skillfully transferred onto the big screen. When philosophical debates don't come across as boring or complicated, but quite the opposite, and they even have some pretty excellent points. It's just that the whole thing feels a bit cold and too overly contrived.
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Art Nouveau pure filmmaking about dirty things inside a person. A comprehensive network of relationships man vs. woman, father vs. son, Freudianism vs. Jungianism - yet very simple and accessible... Masterful direction, the breathtaking Mortensen, precise Fassbender and surprisingly demonic Keira Knightley (probably in the role of her life). And a script with dialogues so brisk, funny and intelligent that I consider this film to be one of the top experiences of recent months.
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