Running with Scissors
Thursday, 01 Feb 2007 10:22
Annette Bening is engaging as manic depressive Deirdre
Directed by Ryan Murphy, out in cinemas now, starring Annette Bening, Brian Cox,
Joseph Cross and Gwyneth Paltrow, running time 116 minutes .
In a nutshell…
Well acted, laborious, literary adaptation
What's it all about?
Running with Scissors is an adaptation of the memoirs of author Augusten Burroughs which was a bestseller in the US. Set in the 1970s, it plots the course of Augusten's adolescent years which were spent coping with divorce and the manic depression of his mother Deidre.
Augusten is taken in by his mother's therapist while she undergoes treatment but finds a host of other afflicted characters residing with Dr Finch in his run-down townhouse.
While Augusten struggles to assimilate to his new surroundings his mother continues to struggle with her illness and the lack of parental support and guidance begins to affect the choices Augusten makes.
Dr Finch is a monstrous patriarch and envelops his patients and his family with fear and confusion while always maintaining command over their lives. Augusten is forced to make some unlikely allegiances as he tries to find his way in the world.
Who's in it?
Bening plays Deirdre and her performance as a manic depressive is well-observed and engaging. She captures the nuances of the condition and encapsulates that in a role which is the most engaging in the film.
Brian Cox plays the eccentric Dr Finch and is solid in his portrayal of this dominating character. Alec Baldwin plays Augusten's hard-drinking father with considerable relish, while Gwyneth Paltrow excels as Hope, one of Dr Finch's unconventional daughters.
Newcomer Joseph Cross plays the lead role but his performance is not yet assured enough to hold together such a film.
As an example…
Dr Finch: Would you like some of these?
Augusten Burroughs: What are they?
Dr Finch: I just got some samples in the mail, so I don't know.
Hope: What are you guys doing?
Natalie: Electro-shock therapy.
Hope: Awesome!
Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars
Annette Bening was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Deirdre Burroughs but the film itself has failed to glean much critical acclaim. The film is not a blockbuster and, perhaps due to the subject matter, has failed to achieve much success at the box office.
What the others say
"An all-over-the-place romp through a weird childhood, with a career-topping performance from Annette Bening." – Film Four
"The comedy is outweighed, sadly, by the fundamentally humourless poor-me undercurrent that is always present." - Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
So is it any good?
While Running with Scissors was a bestselling book its appeal does not transfer well on to celluloid, leaving the viewer feeling somewhat unfulfilled by the experience.
Although the film engages with an interesting topic and has some very credible performances from the cast, one never truly feels empathy for the characters or their fate.
The film feels like an overblown version of something which may have worked better as an independent production rather than something with a $12 million budget.
There are some lighter moments, some of which are genuinely funny, while others are more bittersweet within the context of a group of characters with psychological problems.
Running with Scissors is not a bad film but it never truly grips the viewer. Despite its worthy intentions the film lacks the gravitas to explore the issues fully and lacks a little in entertainment value.
5/10
Dominic Beaumont 
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