In the opening scene of David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method a hysterical young woman is taken to a mental hospital run by psychiatrist Carl Jung at the turn of the 20th century. This young woman, Sabina Spielrein, is played by Keira Knightley with an intensity and ferocity that made it impossible for me to look away. In the throes of hysteria, she juts her jaw and bugs out her eyes. She twitches and growls like a wild animal. Jung (played by Michael Fassbender, who is quickly becoming my favorite actor) treats the suffering young woman calmly and kindly, explaining that he is going to try a new method to help her. He is going to sit in a chair behind her (so as not to distract her) and let her talk. That's it. It's called "the talking cure". What is so common in our society today (who among us hasn't been to, or at least considered, talk therapy? And if you haven't, you should. It's awesome!) was a radical approach to psychiatry a century ago.
The talking cure was adopted by famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud (played by Viggo Mortensen), who mentored and worked with Carl Jung. A Dangerous Method follows their relationship, as well as Jung's doctor-to-lover-to-colleague relationship with Spielrein. A Dangerous Method could perhaps be classified as a "kink-illectual" film. It is obsessed with mind and body; sex and theory equally. And I must say, the scenes of Jung and Freud deconstructing Jung's dreams are just as stimulating as the scenes of Jung spanking a trussed up and hot-to-trot Spielrein.
Despite the presence of the two heavyweights of early psychoanalysis, the film belongs to Spielrein. Sabina Spielrein was a real person--a patient and lover of Jung who eventually went to medical school and studied child psychology. Sadly, she and her daughters were killed by the Nazis in 1942 and to this day she remains nothing more than a footnote in the body of knowledge that favors the men who shaped psychoanalysis. But in A Dangerous Method, Spielrein is front and center and treated with an equality and respect that kind of blew my mind. Cronenberg doesn't make this a movie about how a lowly female overcame the odds to follow her dream of studying medicine in the early 1900's (though she did); nor does he make it a heavy-lidded love story between a masochistic woman and an obliging male mentor (though it perhaps was). Instead, the fact that Spielrein became a medical student and was easily Freud and Jung's intellectual equal is treated as unremarkable. She was a smart lady; why wouldn't she study medicine.
Likewise, Spielrein's mental issues, her history of abuse at the hands of her father, and her sexual proclivities are treated with respect and sensitivity. As much as I love the film Secretary, it's annoying that Maggie Gyllenhaal's character Lee is both sexually submissive and a "cutter"--as if the two are in any way related. It's also annoying that when Lee and her boss, Mr. Grey, begin a Dominant/submissive relationship, all of a sudden Lee no longer needs to hurt herself. Very inaccurate and misleading portrayal of both cutting and BDSM. Admittedly, A Dangerous Method flirts with the whole abuse = crazy/masochistic line: in one of the most riveting scenes, Spielrein discusses being beaten as a child and finds the strength to admit "it excited me". Since then, the thought of being beaten and/or humiliated has driven Spielrein into a state of hysteria and sexual excitement. But instead of "curing" her of her desire to be beaten, Jung helps Spielrein heal through talk therapy...oh, and also spanks her as part of their sex play. Spielrein emerges as a far more mentally healthy woman independent of her sexual masochism. And Jung is no screwed up, self-loathing sadist. He's just a nice guy with a belt and a willingness to use it on Spielrein any way she wants.
What is perhaps most remarkable about this film is that all the controversial and interesting things--sadomasochistic relationship, crazy-ass woman, woman going to medical school, two men chomping cigars and discussing penises, etc--are treated as totally normal and pedestrian. It's actually quite funny to see Freud and Jung speak so frankly and so dryly about sexuality in women or their own subconscious castration fears.
On top of this, the acting is superb. Mortensen and Fassbender are a delight to watch together--sipping brandy and hashing out ideas about psychoanalysis and sex. Knightley, whom I've always thought was a far better actress than her mainstream roles permit her to be, is finally is given the chance in this movie to chew the scenery (in a good way). Spielrein is a bit like Lisbeth Salander: her very existence is an extended middle finger to the patriarchy (and the patriarchy was especially alive and well in Spielrein's day). She encompasses many people's worst fears about "crazy bitches" and sexually lascivious women--and upends them. Spielrein is simultaneous "crazy", sexual, and intelligent. She gets to have her cake and eat it too--to have a lover and a career, all on her terms.
A Dangerous Method is one of the most fascinating, sexy, well-acted, and subversive films I've seen in a long time. I can't recommend it enough.
5 out of 5 stars
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