A Dangerous Method (2011) - Cronenberg's rather disappointing waltz with the fathers of modern psychology

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The elegant French poster for David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method

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Carl Jung's work with Sigmund Freud's new psychoanalysis in 1904 quickly leads him directly to the founder himself: A particularly difficult case, a Jewish woman, seems to benefit from 'the method', but she then starts a fateful relationship to her doctor.

First the good parts of A Dangerous Method, great Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg's (Scanners (1981)) period psycho-sex drama biopic of three of the most important figures in the realm of psychology:
The film is well-written, by Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons (1988)), based on his own play adaptation of John Kerr's non-fiction 1993 book A Most Dangerous Method: The Story of Jung, Freud and Sabina Spielrein. It is sober and thought-provoking and a handsomely produced historical drama with some of the finest actors of our day, Viggo Mortensen (Jauja (2014)), Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave (2013)) and Vincent Cassel (Eastern Promises (2007)).
But... The meaning of the title flutters in the wind. Keira Knightley's (Begin Again (2013)) overly mannered attacks in the beginning of the film are painfully clichéd. And, finally, it is frankly something of a disappointment to witness Cronenberg, a champion of the subconscious and primal urges, drives and fears on the screen, make a large film about Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, which is as sober and straightforward as this.

Related reviews:

David Cronenberg: Cosmopolis (2012) - Cronenberg/DeLillo/Pattinson's speculative limo lullaby
A History of Violence (2005) or, Who Is Tom Stall? 
Spider (2002) - Cronenberg takes us to the tormented (and slightly dull) mind of a schizophrenic 
Dead Ringers (1988) or, Brothers and Their Instruments 
The Brood (1979) or, Marital Fury and Craze! 

Watch the trailer for the film here

Cost: 18 mil. $
Box office: 27.4 mil. $
= Big flop
[The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and got lukewarm notices most places. Mortensen was Globe-nominated as Best Supporting Actor. It made just 5.7 mil. $ (21 % of the total gross) in the US.]

What do you think of A Dangerous Method?