There’s a whole lot of buzz going around A Dangerous Method, starring Viggo Mortensen (On the Road) as psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) as partner Carl Jung, and Keira Knightley (Last Night) as Sabina Spielrein, a hysterical Russian patient who gets caught in the middle.
Director David Cronenberg (Crash) crafts a dramatic and thrilling depiction of the development of psychoanalytic theory with a mix of scandal, a love triangle, and a question of ethics. The script was written by Christopher Hampton (Atonement) who also wrote the stage version, based on the novel by John Kerr.
Also cast is Vincent Cassel (Black Swan) and Canadian actress Sara Gadon (Dream House) as Jung’s wife Emma.
I’ve read a series of online articles about this movie, claiming that it will either garner Knightley her second Oscar nomination or that she will be criticized for seriously over-acting the part. She’s no stranger to period pieces, but once you see the trailer, you’ll find that she offers a quality attempt at showing her range as an actress with chilling faraway stares and fits of medically-diagnosed hysteria, a change of pace for the Brit who is so famous for her discontent pout. (On a side note, this movie showcases Knightley’s ability to produce a Russian accent, which she will also be using in her upcoming performance as the title character in Anna Karenina.)
Since Fassbender’s star-making turn in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, he’s been making the rounds in such high-profile films like Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class, and the upcoming Prometheus movie.
I’m not a huge fan of Mortensen’s, but I’m curious to see the chemistry and dynamic between the lead male characters in the movie. This is Mortensen’s third time working with Cronenberg, after starring in A History of Violence and Eastern Promises. The latter film earned the actor his first Oscar nomination. I even read somewhere that Mortensen’s role as Freud was originally offered to Kevin Bacon (Crazy, Stupid, Love), which (I think) would not have worked well.
The movie is set for release on November 23rd, just in time to start off awards season. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think! Are you going to see this movie? Do you think Knightley passes for a hysterical woman at the center of a love triangle?
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