A Dangerous Method

Disastrously dull from beginning to end, A Dangerous Method details the friendship that ensues between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) in the early 20th century – with their subsequent conversations revolving around both Jung’s ongoing efforts at treating a problematic patient (Keira Knightley’s Sabina Spielrein) and his increasingly shaky personal life. It’s worth noting that A Dangerous Method gets off to a decidedly promising start, as filmmaker David Cronenberg does a nice job of initially luring the viewer into the proceedings – with the flawless visuals and strong performances playing an instrumental role in establishing a (relatively) engrossing vibe of stately drama. There quickly (and, perhaps, inevitably) reaches a point at which the relentlessly talky nature of Christopher Hampton’s screenplay becomes an insurmountable obstacle, however, and it’s clear that the progressively stagnant atmosphere – ie one can’t help but wish that something of consequence would occur – ensures that the movie slowly-but-surely transforms into nothing more than an admittedly handsome actor’s showcase. And while it’s certainly not difficult to envision aficionados or students of the mental health field embracing the slight narrative, A Dangerous Method suffers from a distinct paucity of elements designed to sustain and capture the interest of casual viewers – which, despite fine work from the three stars, cements the movie’s place as a cold, hopelessly uninteresting endeavor that marks an obvious low point within Cronenberg’s uneven filmography.

* out of ****