At the beginning of the 20th Century modern-day psychoanalysis was coming to the forefront mainly through the work of penis-obsessed Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and the more individualistic teachings of Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender). Caught up in the battle for primacy of science is neurotic sex-obsessed Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley), who as a patient / understudy to Carl Jung develops a deep relation with her mentor, which transcends into erotic extremities. As interactions between the elder scientist Freud and his youthful protégée Jung are enhanced, they finally end with a dramatic split of chosen paths, where Jung decides to foregoe any previous admiration towards his peer. Through emotional undercurrents of relations between the three characters we are introduced to tidbits of history of psychoanalysis and the differences in vision of the men who revolutionised the world. Events are strongly based on real life incidents, mostly historically accurate with only a necessary dramatic licence put in place to forward the story.
Thematically a very Cronenberg film and a mildly successful endeavor, which invites re-watching to fully understand the interactions between all three main characters and their undeniable, but only subtly presented, consequences. Cronenberg, always a master at getting the ugliness as well as the acting out of the most incompetent manages a rare feat: successfully proves that Keira Knightley does have some acting credentials, even if her crazed performance full of nervous ticks was at times unbearable to watch. Nothing as accomplished as the opposing forces of Mortensen and Fassbender who masterfully confronted each other both as actors as well as characters. In a tale of rivalry between concepts and ideals personal animosities do not go unnoticed with an absolutely key scene, where Jung reveals intimate dreams to Freud, who in turn reacts with contempt at Jung's readiness to be dissected, pointing out strongly that he would never lower himself to such a level.
"A Dangerous Method" is also as emotionally sterile and disturbing as Cronenberg can be (despite having almost no brutality and little sexual content). However fitting it seems to the subject matter it can leave viewers alienated, although I myself was enthralled for the most part, put off in between, but I fully understand the feeling of being underwhelmed, as the rationale behind the story isn't focused.
Thematically a very Cronenberg film and a mildly successful endeavor, which invites re-watching to fully understand the interactions between all three main characters and their undeniable, but only subtly presented, consequences. Cronenberg, always a master at getting the ugliness as well as the acting out of the most incompetent manages a rare feat: successfully proves that Keira Knightley does have some acting credentials, even if her crazed performance full of nervous ticks was at times unbearable to watch. Nothing as accomplished as the opposing forces of Mortensen and Fassbender who masterfully confronted each other both as actors as well as characters. In a tale of rivalry between concepts and ideals personal animosities do not go unnoticed with an absolutely key scene, where Jung reveals intimate dreams to Freud, who in turn reacts with contempt at Jung's readiness to be dissected, pointing out strongly that he would never lower himself to such a level.
"A Dangerous Method" is also as emotionally sterile and disturbing as Cronenberg can be (despite having almost no brutality and little sexual content). However fitting it seems to the subject matter it can leave viewers alienated, although I myself was enthralled for the most part, put off in between, but I fully understand the feeling of being underwhelmed, as the rationale behind the story isn't focused.