Review of A Dangerous Method (2011) by Matthew H — 26 Dec 2012

I will insert a very pun-filled dangerous method in my review of "A Dangerous Method", which deals with the relationship of famed psychoanalysis gurus Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, and the woman who came between them; sort of speak. I will try to limit the amount of Freudian slips in this review because it just might be a pun Jungle in here. Anyways, the film's mindset is on Jung's keen interest on a troubled female Russian patient named Sabina Spielrein, who ended up being Jung's mistress lover so there was plenty of action of Sabina under the "sabana" for Jung. Under the so-called "not so tender" care of Jung, Spielrein enjoyed being sexually punished by Jung with a little slap on the buttocks here and there; and there are no "ands" "ifs" or "buts" in that statement, well maybe a few butts- Red Ones. Ironically enough, Spielrein ended up being one of the first female psychoanalysts; so she was not a total pain in the ass. Then there is the relationship between Jung and good old Freud; which definitely had its id, ego, and superego qualities to it. Freud expected for Jung to carry on his sexual psychoanalytical interpretations in his field of study, but Jung was not up for the task by having his own opposing viewpoints and thought Freud over-analyzed the sexual paradigm. Director David Cronenberg formulated a decent cinematic hypothesis in his construction of "A Dangerous Method", but somehow I did not lust for this movie. There was something missing. A stronger emphasis on the sexual ideals of Freud might have given this movie a rise; yes, for the record that was a prototype "Freudian Slip". Christopher Hampton's psychobabble screenplay lacked a bit of character development, even though he verbally nailed the Jung & Spielrein relationship scenes. Michael Fassbender should have no shame in his starring work as Jung. Keira Knightley was decent as Spielrein even though she did suffer from a bit of "over-the-top" acting in a few parts of the flick; and I am not referring to her positioning during the Jung and Spielrein sexual scenes. What psyched me up the most about this movie was the riveting performance of Viggo Mortensen as Freud. Mortensen's transformation of Sigmund is what acting dreams are made of. "A Dangerous Method" is not the movie it could have been, but I do give it a marginal recommendation for it to reach your conscious or subconscious state of mind.

**** Average.