A Dangerous Method

Last night I went to Soho hotel for the London premiere of “A dangerous method” starring Kiera Knightley, Michael Fassbender, and Voggo Mortensen. No red carpet or photographers, it was a low-key event, but the Soho hotel’s private screening room was a cool and comfortable venue. We arrived to the premiere slightly late, so we only just managed to get in for the opening credits.

The film accounts the personal and professional relationships between Dr. Carl Jung with both his patient/lover, Sabina Spielrein and colleague/mentor Sigmund Freud. The film boasts strong performances across the board. Knightley’s portrayal of the unpredictable and mad Sabina Spielrein effectively grips the attention of the audience, conveying her deranged state and sense of panic very well, though at times it is slightly over the top. Fassbender’s portrayal of Dr. Jung and Viggo Mortensen’s portrayal of Freud are both excellent. The complex relationship between the characters is interesting to watch, however I always wanted to see more of it. Through the performances of both men, the audience is able to feel Jung and Freud’s interest in one another, as well as their rivalry. Disappointingly, their disagreements regarding psychoanalysis were only touched upon, and never fully explained, leaving me slightly dissatisfied at the end.

Overall, I would say it’s worth checking out for the sterling performances, but you shouldn’t expect too much from the plot. The movie seems to always be on the verge of something important, but never fully takes off.

Soho Hotel's Private screening room