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Running With Scissors
Directed by: Ryan Murphy
Starring: Joseph Cross
Genre:
Comedy/Drama
Run Time: 116
min.
Release Date:
October 2006
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Definitely one of the most
dark psychological comedies to come along in years, RUNNING WITH
SCISSORS has an excellent cast telling a truly warped story. What
makes this even more interesting is that it’s semi-autobiographical.
Based on the life of Augusten Burroughs and his dysfunctional
surroundings, young actor Joseph Cross does an excellent job in
portraying what it must’ve been like to grow up an adolescent amidst the
chaos of mental illness, yet come out the other end as a functioning
adult.
Annette Bening stars as Deidre Burroughs, Augusten’s unstable mother,
and does so brilliantly. Her mood swings and mental breakdowns are
frightening, tear-jerky, and funny all at the same time. When she sets
up Augusten to be adopted by her psychiatrist, the audience feels both a
sense of relief and a terrible foreboding. Brian Cox stars as the
manipulative yet strangely lovable psychoanalyst, Dr. Finch. His family
is a mish-mash of his own kids and those he’s adopted and taken
advantage of financially. His wife Agnes, played superbly by Jill
Clayburgh, is one of the shining lights in the film, giving us a much
needed resting post to lean against while trying to grasp the amazing
flaws of everyone else (she has her shortcomings, too, but they aren’t
as broad).
The story pulls no punches either, showing how Augusten’s early
development lead him toward homosexuality, Dr. Finch discussing his
masturbatorium (figure it out), Deidre exploring lesbianism after a
nasty divorce from her husband (played very well by Alec Baldwin), and
the discovery of bowel movements as prognosticators.
The only downside to the entire movie was that it feels unbalanced,
sometimes accelerating through scenes in mere seconds before grabbing
traction again and moving fluidly forward.
One could also see the screenplay being a complete disaster if it
weren’t for the all-star, powerhouse cast. Brian Cox, Annette Bening,
Alec Baldwin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Evan Rachel Woods, Joseph Fiennes, and
many, many others lend their ample talents to the film. But the ending
certainly makes up for any lagging script qualities. To learn that
Augusten survived this raucous period in his life and came out the other
end still a productive member of society is something to marvel at. And
you probably will...
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Image from Running With
Scissors
DVD cost: $26.99
Purchase:
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Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Writer/ Memoirist Augesten
Burroughs was initially unwilling to turn his book into a film and
turned down multiple offers and directors. After being hounded by
director Ryan Murphy, Burroughs finally met up with him, intending to
tell him to forget about filming it. But their meeting turned into a
fruitful discussion and thus the film rights were finally given over.
Movie Quote: "Where
do I begin to tell the story of how my mother left me?"
Other Actors/Actresses
from Running With Scissors
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