I have a thing for lists and obvs by the size of my DVD collection, you'd know I'm a fan of movies (I've seen at least 15 at the cinema so far this year). So on this rainy but actually great weather day I ventured down to Dendy at Opera Quays and saw 'A Dangerous Method'; it's biggest drawcard to me, being Keira Knightley; she can do no wrong. Whilst many criticise her decisions to continually play characters in period pieces (did they forget Bend it Like Beckham and Love Actually), it is obvious that her choices to take on these roles allow her to showcase her art.
You know it's a good movie when this is a scene.
I'm not going to lie, but i did nap for 5 minutes and apparently missed a lot more scenes like this. Set over the span of seven years, 'A Dangerous Method' explores the relationship between Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) as well as the latter's relationship with Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley). Without giving too much away (it is historically based so you could probably find out more on your own), the relationship between Freud and Jung strains throughout the film due to the differing beliefs of psychoanalysis. Sabina, a patient of Jung, helps to advance his theories and studies whilst becoming an object of sexual attraction in the process. That probably sounds like some corny romcom but watch the trailer below to actually get what it's about.
Whilst it was a serious movie, I could not help but laugh whenever Keira's character, Sabina went crazy. Like the introductory scene where she's in a horse drawn carriage being taken to the hospital, I cracked up laughing as she flailed and screamed in the backseat. When you look like this in a scene, you know that the actor/actress you're watching perform, is good.
But please appreciate the gif in all seriousness. In the movie, I swear she's able to get her jaw more pointed; it's like she's possessed. Method acting just seems like it would be incredibly hard. I mean they have to do so much research to make the character as believable as possible and Keira did a damn good job of that. The underlying sexual nature explored in the movie helped Jung progress upon Freud's work but in many scenes it's just like wow... How uncomfortable would it have been to have filmed those spanking scenes? Fassbender has a strap and just beats her and through Knightley's performance, we legitimately see her titillated (I just wanted to use that word, no matter how disgusting it is).
In a lot of movies they try to downplay Keira's beauty like in Pride & Prejudice, obviously because Elizabeth wasn't meant to be the most beautiful daughter. Whilst she's meant to play the daughter of a Russian merchant, there's one scene after sex where she's just reclined on a lounge in a corset and long skirt where I was like "OMG, she's so fine". Though I was also distracted by her nipple (not a perve) because it was being pressed upon by the corset. Wouldn't that hurt? I know if my nipples were constrained, i'd be complaining.
The setting is what spoke to me most throughout the film though that's probably because soon I will be embarking on my adventure to Europe and the Swiss lake was just everything I want to experience. I don't know which lake it was filmed on but every time they appeared sailing or lying nearby, I just wanted to jump in. I have some weird obsession with bodies of water, but what of it? So I like a little bit of water fun.
I don't believe in rating movies because everyone has their own tastes. In saying that however, I do make recommendations. Whilst the performances throughout the film, especially that of Knightley (should've been recognised by the Academy, why is she never recognised) were great, the plot was kinda boring. Though I'm not familiar with David Cronenberg's past works, 'A Dangerous Method' has set the tone for what I should expect in his upcoming project, 'Cosmopolis' starring Robert Pattinson, which will obviously be seen. If you have time to see the movie, go see it; if not, just wait til it comes out on DVD. Word of advice though, don't see it with someone who finds sex scenes awkward because these are a little bit on the masochistic side.
NB: In no way is this review or any future review meant to be taken seriously. I was just on tumblr and people have actual analyses on the movie and it's themes and everything.
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