Dealing mainly with the medicine world at the turn of the century, David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method has some solid moments of pure genius. Sadly, those moments are few and far between as the film falls victim to its own story.
The film brings director David Cronenberg and star Viggo Mortensen back together for the third time, but the end result isn't the same. Unlike A History of Violence and Eastern Promise, A Dangerous Method is not intense or mysterious. Instead it relies heavily on its characters, using them to weave in and out of a story that is plagued by mediocre relationships and easily forgotten obstacles.
Knightley does an impressive job with her role; though it should be noted that her Russian accent left much to be desired. She plays Sabina Spielrein, a women who arrives at a clinic seeking treatment for hysteria. After being successfully treated, a series of incidents take place that lead to an affair between Spielrein and her doctor, thus causing a rift amongst medical professionals.
While the film's plot seems interesting, the execution is what forces this film into forgettable territory. While I wasn't necessarily board during any particular point, after it was all over I wasn't moved or affected either. It was a classic story with forgettable characters and events; for a film that is character centric, a mess is just waiting to happen.
