Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Dr. Carl Jung takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein as his patient. Jung’s weapon is the method of his master, the renowned Sigmund Freud. Both men fall under Sabina’s spell.
A Dangerous Method is a cerebral, talky chamber piece directed by David Cronenberg, elevated chiefly by its performances — Michael Fassbender's controlled Jung, Viggo Mortensen's commanding Freud, and Keira Knightley's physically committed, if mannered, Spielrein. The acting is the clear standout, with Mortensen in particular delivering a richly layered portrayal. The plot is serviceable and intellectually engaging but somewhat stagey, leaning heavily on its theatrical origins (Christopher Hampton's play) and feeling airless at times. Cinematography is competent and tasteful but unremarkable for Cronenberg — none of his signature visual daring. Novelty is moderate: the psychoanalytic milieu and the Jung-Freud-Spielrein triangle are genuinely interesting subject matter, though the execution is conventional for a prestige biopic. The ending deflates, resolving threads too neatly and quietly for the psychological intensity built up prior, leaving the film feeling slightly undercooked at the close.