A Dangerous Method

In “A Dangerous Method,” controversial Canadian director David Cronenberg (“Dead Ringers,” “The Fly”) examines the intense relationship between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender, “Inglourious Basterds”) and Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen, “The Lord of the Rings”), who gave birth to modern psychoanalysis. Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Jung takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley, “Pirates of the Caribbean”) as his patient. Jung hopes to help Sabina using the methods of his master, the renowned Freud, but when both men fall under her spell, she fractures their relationship. Adapted by Christopher Hampton from his play “The Talking Cure,” this lush period drama was featured in the prestigious Telluride, Toronto, Venice and New York film festivals. Todd McCarthy in the Hollywood Reporter writes: “Precise, lucid and thrillingly disciplined, this story of boundary-testing in the early days of psychoanalysis is brought to vivid life by the outstanding lead performances of Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen and Michael Fassbender.”