Directed by: David Cronenberg
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Vincent Cassel
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: March 27, 2012
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 94 minutes
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
David Cronenberg is honestly one of my favorite directors of all-time. Even though I feel that he has lost his bizarre charm that made me love him so much with films like “Naked Lunch”, “Videodrome” or “eXistenZ”, but he still really knows how to direct the hell out of a film. To make it even easier he has gotten a super A-list cast on this film with Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley. They all give these amazing performances that are award worthy. The film is also a short 94 minutes, so I really enjoyed that. It wasn’t another drawn out 2+ hour period piece. It is not Cronenberg’s best film ever but it delivers the goods for sure.
The film is an adaptation of Christopher Hampton’s play which focuses on on the dissipating relationship between Sigmund Freud (Mortensen) and Carl Jung (Fassbender). Carl Jung is a disciple of Freud and has been using his teachings for his patients. Though Jung’s develops a relationship with his Russian-Jewish psychiatric patient Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) and as it develops, it causes issues with his relationship with Freud.
The video resolution is sharp 1080p and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The film doesn’t really push the Blu-ray format but it definitely doesn’t disappoint. The audio in the film is mostly dialogue but works well the score works really well with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.
The special features are great and working checking out for fans of Cronenberg. There is a great commentary from the director himself. It is very informative about the film’s production and development. Next up there is a feature called “The Making of ‘A Dangerous Method'”, it is a behind the scenes looks into the film with the cast and crew, definitely worth checking out. Lastly there is AFI’s Master Seminar with David Cronenberg includes. His directing style is so unique and this is a very interesting feature.