Morgan Bell
Kynaston
REVIEW: Running With Scissors
May 28th 2008 11:05
Directed: Ryan Murphy (debut)
Written: Ryan Murphy (Tvs Nip/Tuck) from the book of memoirs by Augusten Burroughs
Starring: Joseph Cross (debut), Jack Kaeding (debut), Annette Bening (American Beauty, In Dreams, The American President, Regarding Henry), Alec Baldwin (The Juror, Malice, Beetle Juice), Brian Cox (Zodiac, Adaptation, Troy, Match Point, The Ring), Jill Clayburgh (TVs Dirty Sexy Money), Gwyneth Paltrow (Emma, Sliding Doors, Bounce, Shakespeare In Love), Joseph Fiennes (Elizabeth, Shakespare In Love), Evan Rachel Wood (The Missing, Thirteen, The Upside Of Anger)
This is a film adaptation of the memoirs of the childhood of American writer Augusten Burroughs which explores themes of homosexuality, mental illness, and family. I found this film very confronting as it is essentially a black comedy in which some very serious things happen, including child sex abuse and animal cruelty . . . the film doesnt flinch for a second and it makes you quite uncomfortable with how raw it is . . . we see that finding humour in the absurd was Burrough's (played by Cross as a teen, and Kaeding at age six) main coping mechanism with the confusing world he was emmerced in. Baldwin is the alcoholic father and Bening is the mentally ill mother who desperately wants to be a successful writer but is over-medicated and detached from reality. Dr Finch (Cox) is the unconventional therapist who adopts Burroughs while his mother undergoes therapy and his father is absent . . . Finch's wife (Clayburgh) and two daughters (Paltrow and Wood) are as unconventional as he is and another "adopted son" (Fiennes with a killer moustache) is unpredictable . . . the house is dirty and unhygenic, many of the residents of the house suffer delusions, and we are never sure if Dr Finch is helping or exploiting any or all of them . . . Burroughs childhood was basically hell and this is the story of how he maintained his sanity even though nothing in his life was stable. This isnt easy viewing but features some superb performances, especially by Bening and Wood, and questions whether involving finances in mental health turns therapists into opportunistic "gurus". Excellent soundtrack featuring Bruce Springsteen and Elton John where the music often takes over the scene making us pause and consider the weight of the events we are watching.
Written: Ryan Murphy (Tvs Nip/Tuck) from the book of memoirs by Augusten Burroughs
Starring: Joseph Cross (debut), Jack Kaeding (debut), Annette Bening (American Beauty, In Dreams, The American President, Regarding Henry), Alec Baldwin (The Juror, Malice, Beetle Juice), Brian Cox (Zodiac, Adaptation, Troy, Match Point, The Ring), Jill Clayburgh (TVs Dirty Sexy Money), Gwyneth Paltrow (Emma, Sliding Doors, Bounce, Shakespeare In Love), Joseph Fiennes (Elizabeth, Shakespare In Love), Evan Rachel Wood (The Missing, Thirteen, The Upside Of Anger)
This is a film adaptation of the memoirs of the childhood of American writer Augusten Burroughs which explores themes of homosexuality, mental illness, and family. I found this film very confronting as it is essentially a black comedy in which some very serious things happen, including child sex abuse and animal cruelty . . . the film doesnt flinch for a second and it makes you quite uncomfortable with how raw it is . . . we see that finding humour in the absurd was Burrough's (played by Cross as a teen, and Kaeding at age six) main coping mechanism with the confusing world he was emmerced in. Baldwin is the alcoholic father and Bening is the mentally ill mother who desperately wants to be a successful writer but is over-medicated and detached from reality. Dr Finch (Cox) is the unconventional therapist who adopts Burroughs while his mother undergoes therapy and his father is absent . . . Finch's wife (Clayburgh) and two daughters (Paltrow and Wood) are as unconventional as he is and another "adopted son" (Fiennes with a killer moustache) is unpredictable . . . the house is dirty and unhygenic, many of the residents of the house suffer delusions, and we are never sure if Dr Finch is helping or exploiting any or all of them . . . Burroughs childhood was basically hell and this is the story of how he maintained his sanity even though nothing in his life was stable. This isnt easy viewing but features some superb performances, especially by Bening and Wood, and questions whether involving finances in mental health turns therapists into opportunistic "gurus". Excellent soundtrack featuring Bruce Springsteen and Elton John where the music often takes over the scene making us pause and consider the weight of the events we are watching.
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Comment by Bianca S
The soundtrack was amamzing particualrly 'Year of the Cat' when natalie and Augusten are tearing the ceiling up!!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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it was very offbeat wasnt it . . . i found myself cringing alot as there was so much child sex stuff, even when he said "mastabatorium" i was like hmmm what an inappropriate thing to say to a child . . . it was very clever the way it created tension with awkwardness
there were quite a few soundtrack moments that really drove home the insanity of the moment, or perhaps the calm in the insanity?
Comment by Cheryl J
Rhythmatism
Budget Centsability
I will have to make more of an effort as it sounds fascinating.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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it is wacky and offbeat and laughs in the face of tragedy
i found it very confronting, especially how glib they were about animal cruelty, but i think it well worth a watch
thanks for visiting the Movie Train! haha