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Tuesday, 14 November 2006 14:47 |
| | Meg Hale |
I am all for kids who were mistreated by their parents growing up and expressing their anger through art and sharing their story with the world.
In fact, in a case like that of Augusten Burroughs, I think one is entitled to expose his parents for everything they did and even turn a profit from it, if one can make it into a novel, play, film, etc.
My issue with the recent film "Running With Scissors" is in the promoting of it. This film was advertised as being a dark comedy, and I laughed more at "Ordinary People."
Speaking
of "Ordinary People," playing the lead role in the film of Augusten
Burroughs is Timothy Hutton look-alike newcomer Joseph Cross ("Jack
Frost"). The film is based on Burroughsë memoirs, of the same name as
the film, but was actually written, produced and directed by periodic
"Nip/Tuck" director Ryan Murphy.
"Running With
Scissors" is the real-life story of Burroughs and his many
extraordinary and horrific experiences growing up with a psychotic
mother Deirdre, played by Annette Bening ("American Beauty") and an
alcoholic father, played by Alec Baldwin ("The Hunt for Red October").
Matters worsen dramatically when Burroughsë mother allows her quack
therapist to adopt him and take him into his even-more-psychotic
household.
More than just
psychotic, the household is comprised of an all-star cast, consisting
of the doctor himself, Marion Finch, played by Brian Cox ("X-2:
X-Men"); his semi-catatonic wife Agnes, played by Jill Clayburgh
("Gable and Lombard"); his schizophrenic adopted son Neil, played by
Joseph Fiennes ("Shakespeare in Love"); his spinster eldest daughter
Hope, played by Gwyneth Paltrow ("Proof"); and his rebellious youngest
daughter Natalie, played by Evan Rachel Wood ("Thirteen").
All of the
acting in the film is splendid, particularly that of Bening. The
fame-driven character of Deirdre Burroughs ranges from melodramatic, to
completely drugged-up, to insane and frightened, to utterly
self-involved to the point of cruelty. Bening pulls off every level of
the character with ease and even manages to make Deirdre sympathetic to
an audience after all she has done. She is sure to get an Oscar-nod for
this role.
The rest of the
characters are well portrayed also, but being stuck for two hours in
this world, in which everyone is totally loopy and no one listens to
reason, or handles anything appropriately, was really frustrating for
me. Wackiness is fun to watch; true insanity, however, not so much.
 Ultimately, this
boy had a terrible upbringing and an incredibly difficult adolescence.
I found his story literally painful and upsetting to watch. The writing
and direction from Murphy made for good acting, interesting camera
angles, lighting and dialogue.
"Running With
Scissors" is a very well-made film. However, if you are looking for a
dark comedy about family dysfunction, youëd do better to rent "The
Royal Tenenbaums," than you would be attending this movie. The film is
very dark, grim and graphic. It should not be viewed by young
audiences. And, if you are someone who is easily made depressed, this
is not the film to brighten up your evening.
The best part of
the film ÇƒÓ for me ÇƒÓ was the epilogue, in which the characters lives are
gone over individually to tell what became of them. I was happy to see
that most of the characters got what was coming to them and some of
them actually turned out okay. I especially liked seeing the writer,
sitting next to the actor who played him.
"Running With
Scissors" is a fascinating psychological character study. Burroughs has
led an amazing life, which is worth being viewed by an audience. It is
not a happy life, mind you, so I would recommend that audiences in
search of drama check out this movie, rather than those looking for
comedy. I give "Running With Scissors" three and a half of my six
planets.
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