A Dangerous Method

There are some directors who dare to push limits, who tries to find new ways of making movies. David Cronenberg is a perfect example. If you look at his movies, most of them do look very different from each other. One of my personal favourite motion pictures from David Cronenberg is his classic Scanners. The story of ordinary people who has the ability to remove objects and injure humans with their telekinetic powers, is just brilliant film making. A Dangerous Method takes on the subject of psychiatric treatments in World War I. Does the canadian director Cronenberg still deliver quality, or is this far beyond his limits?

Burghölzli is a psychatric hospital located in Zurich. A patient named Sabina Spielrein ( Keira Knightley ) begins her treatment for hysteria with the help of swiss doctor Carl Jung ( Michael Fassbender ). Carl is testing a new treatment method, wich includes word association and dream interpretation. While he begins to help Sabina, he finds out what triggered her problems, she was humiliated by her own father, while he spanked her naked, as she was aroused by this. Carl is interested in these events, as he begins a relationship with his patient, where the sexual limits go further. Problems begin to grow when Sabina reveals to Sigmund Freud ( Viggo Mortensen ) neurologist in psychoanalysis, her relationship with dr Carl Jung. 

The most interesting thing about A Dangerous Method, is that he actually steps back to Scanners in a way. Not on the same level, since this is based on true methods used back in the first World War. But he seems very interested in humans mental statement. And as a psychological drama, this is quite interesting. We all know that medical staff have had relationships with patients, and what effects this may have. A Dangerous Method both brings up the subject of forbidden relationship, as well as psychiatric treatments, to let you decide what´s right or wrong. This is not one of Cronenberg´s better movies lately, A History Of Violence is still a emotional jackpot. But, if you are interested in psychological treatments in history, this may actually give you a interesting view on the subject.

Rating: DDD