Bizarre adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' memoir of the same name, "Running With Scissors" records the life of a teenage boy growing up in two wildly dysfunctional families in the 70's. Augusten (skillfully portrayed by Joseph Cross) starts out as a a smart, unusual kid who lives with his self-absorbed, bipolar mother Deirdre (Annette Bening,) an unstable middle aged woman who is too busy trying to publish her poetry to care for her son. She keeps him home from school so he can fix her hair and insists on reading her lengthy poems to him. His father Norman (Alec Baldwin) is violent alcoholic, and Deirdre and his father argue often, leaving young Augusten in the middle. Despite this, he is close to his mom, and is happy to stay home and spend time with her.
Several years later, Augusten's a teenager and Deirdre and Norman's arguments have escalated into out-and-out physical abuse. Deirdre starts seeing a highly unorthodox psychiatrist, Dr. Finch (Brian Cox,) who tries to rekindle her 'creative spirit.' Eventually, Norman leaves, and Augusten is left with his mom. But things don't end there. Shortly afterward, Deirdre sends Augusten to live with Dr. Finch, and later relinquishes her parenting rights to him.
Once there, he realizes that calling Dr. Finch unorthodox is a great understatement. The doctor, who pops Valium nonstop and believes that bowel movements are a sign from God, leaves Augusten in the 'care' of his seriously deranged family. This includes Agnes, Dr. Finch's good-natured but unstable wife, who watches TV and eats dog food, Natalie, his rebellious teenage daughter, and Hope, his other child, a doting young woman who sincerely believes that 'Daddy's a genius.' Later, he meets Neil Bookman, Dr. Finch's 30-something year old schizophrenic foster son, who becomes Augusten's first lover.
Squeamish yet? If so, do not watch this film. If however, you enjoy Burroughs's books and don't mind watching something off-kilter, I think you might enjoy it. I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually liked both the book and the movie. It was too long, and some of the good details from the book were removed, but the acting was very good and it has a sort of voyeuristic fascination as you watch Augusten try to survive. Also, Augusten's brother (who is not included here,) John Elder Robison, wrote one of my favorite books, 'Look Me in the Eye- My Life with Asperger's.' I would only recommend this movie to certain people because I don't think it would appeal to general audiences (Rated R.)
Movie Recommendation- For another blackly comic (though not as outlandish) tale of family dysfunction told from the point of view of a teenage boy, watch Igby Goes Down
Several years later, Augusten's a teenager and Deirdre and Norman's arguments have escalated into out-and-out physical abuse. Deirdre starts seeing a highly unorthodox psychiatrist, Dr. Finch (Brian Cox,) who tries to rekindle her 'creative spirit.' Eventually, Norman leaves, and Augusten is left with his mom. But things don't end there. Shortly afterward, Deirdre sends Augusten to live with Dr. Finch, and later relinquishes her parenting rights to him.
Once there, he realizes that calling Dr. Finch unorthodox is a great understatement. The doctor, who pops Valium nonstop and believes that bowel movements are a sign from God, leaves Augusten in the 'care' of his seriously deranged family. This includes Agnes, Dr. Finch's good-natured but unstable wife, who watches TV and eats dog food, Natalie, his rebellious teenage daughter, and Hope, his other child, a doting young woman who sincerely believes that 'Daddy's a genius.' Later, he meets Neil Bookman, Dr. Finch's 30-something year old schizophrenic foster son, who becomes Augusten's first lover.
Squeamish yet? If so, do not watch this film. If however, you enjoy Burroughs's books and don't mind watching something off-kilter, I think you might enjoy it. I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually liked both the book and the movie. It was too long, and some of the good details from the book were removed, but the acting was very good and it has a sort of voyeuristic fascination as you watch Augusten try to survive. Also, Augusten's brother (who is not included here,) John Elder Robison, wrote one of my favorite books, 'Look Me in the Eye- My Life with Asperger's.' I would only recommend this movie to certain people because I don't think it would appeal to general audiences (Rated R.)
Movie Recommendation- For another blackly comic (though not as outlandish) tale of family dysfunction told from the point of view of a teenage boy, watch Igby Goes Down
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