Psychoanalysis Sounds Better

David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen have been on a roll for the past few years.  After the smash success of History of Violence and the follow-up Eastern Promises it would appear that they have definitely become a hit making director/actor team reminiscent to the days of Scorsese/DeNiro.  While their newest venture, into the early life of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud may not prove to be as successful as it's predecessors, it is none-the-less an intriguing film.

The film begins with the introduction of Sabina Spielrein, played by Keira Knightly, being carted, kicking and screaming to the Burghölzli, where she became a patient of Jung (Michael Fassbender).  It becomes clear very early on that Jung is the central focus of the story, passing through time as he attempts to secure his place in the budding field of psychoanalysis. He develop's a father figure in Freud and through interactions with both, his own theories start to emerge further.

The film is well shot and there is great attention to the period detail.  The performances were all quite solid, featuring interesting dynamic range from all three principle actors.  However, there was something seriously lacking in the pacing of the film.  Perhaps, this is due to lack factual evidence or even due to the writing.  True enough, the script was written by playwright Christopher Hampton, based on his play The Talking Cure and as such, pacing can become an issue when presented in the film medium.  Now, add the fact that it's a play adapted from a nonfiction novel, John Kerr's A Most Dangerous Method, effectively making it an adaption of an adaption.

The beginning of the story seems to push forward rather quickly, almost as though it's trying to satisfy the audience expectation of the interactions between Jung and Freud.  The films real power lies in the fallout of the central conflict.  Watching the character interactions amid scandal, as friendships become rivalries, makes some pretty enjoyable cinema.

As we know from history, Jung and Freud's friendship was a short lived one.  Both ambitious men, the dinosaur and the babe, the audience watches them simultaneously nurture each other and destroy one another as well as themselves in the process.

One of the other main plots is the affair between Jung and Spielrein, which has an interesting psychoanalyzed approach to S&M.  Whether or not their relationship was as such is up to much speculation, but it is generally believed that some type of extramarital relationship developed between the two.  Cronenberg, has always been known for sexuality being a central theme in his films, but I felt like this film conveyed the psychological power dynamics involved in sexual relationships, more so than any of his previous films.

An interesting film, worth a watch for sure, but definitely more for fans of Cronenberg than for people interested in the history of psychoanalysis.  That is, of course, not to say that it doesn't have some very intriguing moments examining early psychoanalytical practice, but that is not the focus of the film.