Culture

Based on the play The Talking Cure, David Cronenberg directs this drama based on the true story of the turbulent love triangle that developed between two towering intellectuals – Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) – and a troubled patient (Kiera Knightley). Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, Dr Jung decides to take on Sabina Spielrein (Knightley) using Freud’s new weapon, the “Talking Cure”.

Spielrein’s problems are quickly traced to sexual fixations on being beaten by her father and on defecation. Gross, but true. However, it turns out that once calmed, she has a brilliant analytical mind. The film centres on Jung getting to meet his idol Freud and together they discuss Spelrein’s case. However, Jung leaves out the important detail: His ongoing affair with her. She is, she claims, “vile and filthy and corrupt” and her greatest desire is to be tied up and spanked. Jung, with a pained, frowning diligence, duly obliges.

The scenes with Freud and Jung are clever, unexpectedly funny and pretty enjoyable. The portrayal of their troubled relationship is spot-on, both historically and cinematically. However, the scenes with Spielrein fall flat. Partly, this is because while Mortensen and Fassbender play their parts brilliantly, with easy wit, Knightley’s attempts in early scenes to feign madness, her facial tics and contortions, are a tad disturbing and unconvincing. It is also hard to sympathise with the two intellectuals. At one point, when it looks as though Freud has had a stroke or heart attack, Jung doesn’t seem upset in the least.

All in all, this is a serious film. Great for its historical context, but probably don’t buy maltesers or skittles for it, you will likely choke in Knightley’s “madness” scenes.

3 / 5 Stars

– Eve Duckworth