A Dangerous Method 2011
This is a classic piece that would probably appeal mostly to readers and students of psychology. As it is neither filled with action-packed scenes nor with cliffhanging sequences, it may excite only a niche portion of viewers. In essence, it tells the interaction between Freud and his student, Karl Jung, their correspondences and Jung's search for the meaning of life. Central to the story is Jung's Russian patient, a Sabina Spielrein, who he treats for hysteria and eventually becomes his mistress.
Jung is a diligent Swiss psychiatrist who immerses himself in work, paying scant attention to other things in his life, including his pregnant wife. He receives a troubled Russian young lady (Sabina, Keira Knightley) as a patient. Jung treats her with his 'talking cure', a new technique learnt from Freud's writings. Through his psychoanalysis, he deduces that her tics and appalling behaviour can be related to her father's abuse of her. Even though she abhorred her father's actions, deep inside she seemed to derive pleasure but feel guilty of it at the same time! He nurses her to health, and she pursues her lifelong ambition of being a doctor.
Jung receives a referral from Freud of a wayward psychoanalyst, Dr Otto Gross. He is a disturbed son of a wealthy aristocrat, a physician not by interest but familial pressure and has unorthodox views on patient-doctor relationship. He abuses drugs and has no qualms redefining doctor-patient relationship, submitting to the pleasures of the flesh without having an iota of guilt. His views are so compelling that Jung starts questioning his own code of ethics.
By then, Sabina is well and is helping in Jung's work. She explicitly pours her feelings and Jung, in the turmoil of an empty familial relationship and positive transference, surrenders to the demands of the flesh. He starts an affair with Sabina.
Freud's legendary first meeting in Vienna goes on for 13hours. Even though initially they saw many common grounds, over the years they diverged. Jung found Freud overbearing. He believed the world of medicine is as it is. We, the human species are here, period. We have issues, and we have to deal with the present problem. Sexual issues played a central theme in many of Freud's explanation to our maladies, which Jung could not accept wholesale. Jung wanted to use supernatural forces and mysticism in treatment, but Freud vehemently disagreed.
Jung's torrid affair soon became common knowledge. It also became a reason for him to part ways with Freud. Eventually, he ended his liaison with Sabina and both went separate ways.
Perhaps what the movie is trying to show to us, which may deviate from actually happened in real life, is the interplay of Freud's mind dynamics in interaction in our daily lives. For instance in Jung's relationship, we see Jung as the ego trying to become the compromiser between Sabina (the id, the temptress) and his wife (the superego, the icon of perfection). In his professional conduct, he has to balance between Freud (the superego, the emblem of perfect doctor) against Otto (the id, the one who succumbs to primordial needs without a care to societal norms).
Our daily life is a constant battle - trying to reach the ideal situation and at the same time seeking to enjoy our time on Earth, enjoying ourselves as we only live once. Or is life on Earth is just a testing ground sent by our Maker to determine where we would spend our time in Eternity? How cruel!
This is a classic piece that would probably appeal mostly to readers and students of psychology. As it is neither filled with action-packed scenes nor with cliffhanging sequences, it may excite only a niche portion of viewers. In essence, it tells the interaction between Freud and his student, Karl Jung, their correspondences and Jung's search for the meaning of life. Central to the story is Jung's Russian patient, a Sabina Spielrein, who he treats for hysteria and eventually becomes his mistress.Jung is a diligent Swiss psychiatrist who immerses himself in work, paying scant attention to other things in his life, including his pregnant wife. He receives a troubled Russian young lady (Sabina, Keira Knightley) as a patient. Jung treats her with his 'talking cure', a new technique learnt from Freud's writings. Through his psychoanalysis, he deduces that her tics and appalling behaviour can be related to her father's abuse of her. Even though she abhorred her father's actions, deep inside she seemed to derive pleasure but feel guilty of it at the same time! He nurses her to health, and she pursues her lifelong ambition of being a doctor.
Jung receives a referral from Freud of a wayward psychoanalyst, Dr Otto Gross. He is a disturbed son of a wealthy aristocrat, a physician not by interest but familial pressure and has unorthodox views on patient-doctor relationship. He abuses drugs and has no qualms redefining doctor-patient relationship, submitting to the pleasures of the flesh without having an iota of guilt. His views are so compelling that Jung starts questioning his own code of ethics.
By then, Sabina is well and is helping in Jung's work. She explicitly pours her feelings and Jung, in the turmoil of an empty familial relationship and positive transference, surrenders to the demands of the flesh. He starts an affair with Sabina.
Freud's legendary first meeting in Vienna goes on for 13hours. Even though initially they saw many common grounds, over the years they diverged. Jung found Freud overbearing. He believed the world of medicine is as it is. We, the human species are here, period. We have issues, and we have to deal with the present problem. Sexual issues played a central theme in many of Freud's explanation to our maladies, which Jung could not accept wholesale. Jung wanted to use supernatural forces and mysticism in treatment, but Freud vehemently disagreed.Jung's torrid affair soon became common knowledge. It also became a reason for him to part ways with Freud. Eventually, he ended his liaison with Sabina and both went separate ways.
Perhaps what the movie is trying to show to us, which may deviate from actually happened in real life, is the interplay of Freud's mind dynamics in interaction in our daily lives. For instance in Jung's relationship, we see Jung as the ego trying to become the compromiser between Sabina (the id, the temptress) and his wife (the superego, the icon of perfection). In his professional conduct, he has to balance between Freud (the superego, the emblem of perfect doctor) against Otto (the id, the one who succumbs to primordial needs without a care to societal norms).
Our daily life is a constant battle - trying to reach the ideal situation and at the same time seeking to enjoy our time on Earth, enjoying ourselves as we only live once. Or is life on Earth is just a testing ground sent by our Maker to determine where we would spend our time in Eternity? How cruel!
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