A Dangerous Method

A kinky-but-intellectual study into the personal lives of the men and women who defined psychoanalysis, David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" contains all the of the sexual and emotional conflict that defines his best works. After diving into pulp with his last two films, "History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises," Cronenberg again shifts gears to dive into something closer to art cinema. But make no mistake, "Method" is a Cronenberg picture through and through: "History" and "Eastern" were all about men who obsessed over creating new identities, while "Method" attacks the similar topic of men who obsessed over the makeup of their identities.

This intricate study of the human psyche is made viable by the fearless performances given by the trio of actors headlining. Michael Fassbender is the true lead in his role as Carl Jung; constantly hiding both his sexual and emotional insecurities behind a stoic expression. But it's Keira Knightley, as his patient/mistress Sabina, who truly amazes: she knows no boundaries in her performance, and I'm not referring to the already-infamous spanking scenes (the sheer restlessness in her face during the film's haunting cold hasn't left me for months.) And then there's Viggo Mortenson, who absolutely disappears into the role of Sigmund Freud - everything from the controlled manner of speech to the oft-discussed cigar.

A number of 'must watch' extras are included, such as a commentary with Cronenberg as well as a lengthy seminar he gave. But the real story is the film, and the incredible performances. "A Dangerous Method" may not be pulpy or exploitive enough for fans of Cronenberg's genre work, but this is not only an incredibly personal film (Freudian themes reverberate through all 30 years of his previous work) but also one of the most finely acted works of cinema in a long time.

"A Dangerous Method"
DVD
$30.99
Sonyclassics.com