SPOILERS Let's be completely honest, if "Running with Scissors" really is the childhood experiences of Augusten Burroughs, then it's a miracle he has remained even remotely sane. A deranged, lunacy, the story of young Augusten is a fantastical tale of malcontents and nutters. Unfortunately, the film adaptation is also an inconsistent affair with positives and negatives in practically every direction.
Born to two parents who hate each other, Augusten (Joseph Cross) has a complicated life. His father, an alcoholic, supposedly violent man (Alec Baldwin) leaves his neurotic, fame obsessed, drugged up mother (Annette Benning) and somehow our young hero finds himself stuck in the home of the loopy Doctor Finch (Brian Cox). Will he leave this place with the slightest bit of sanity? Only time will tell.
Right from the outset, "Running with Scissors" puts itself up there as another of your surreal deranged movies with eccentric characters and outrageous surroundings. Not as funny as something like "The Royal Tenenbaums" but supposedly more realistic, it flirts constantly between dragging you into the story and spitting you out the other side. There are scenes of beauty when characters emotions are dragged to the forefront and their tension is released, and there are scenes of pure garbage for example an awkward poetry reading.
The film also manages to provide us with inconsistent acting standards. Annette Benning as Augusten's mother is absolutely magnificent throughout, and yet Gwyneth Paltrow's performance as a member of the Finch family makes you grind your teeth and scream with frustration. The standard is just so inconsistent, it defies belief.
Cinematography too manages to flicker between beautiful and dreadful. A scene where snow is falling on Benning is so crisply and moving filmed is a rare highlight, just like another scene involving the Finch family kitchen roof. Whilst on the opposing spectrum a scene involving Augusten and his mothers lover, a scene which should convey truly heart wrenching power, is filmed ineffectually and passes without merit.
Ultimately "Running with Scissors" just flicks from one side to another. Never knowing what it wants to achieve, it manages to fail to maintain a high standard throughout. Like the characters of the story itself, the film is never quite correctly balanced.
Born to two parents who hate each other, Augusten (Joseph Cross) has a complicated life. His father, an alcoholic, supposedly violent man (Alec Baldwin) leaves his neurotic, fame obsessed, drugged up mother (Annette Benning) and somehow our young hero finds himself stuck in the home of the loopy Doctor Finch (Brian Cox). Will he leave this place with the slightest bit of sanity? Only time will tell.
Right from the outset, "Running with Scissors" puts itself up there as another of your surreal deranged movies with eccentric characters and outrageous surroundings. Not as funny as something like "The Royal Tenenbaums" but supposedly more realistic, it flirts constantly between dragging you into the story and spitting you out the other side. There are scenes of beauty when characters emotions are dragged to the forefront and their tension is released, and there are scenes of pure garbage for example an awkward poetry reading.
The film also manages to provide us with inconsistent acting standards. Annette Benning as Augusten's mother is absolutely magnificent throughout, and yet Gwyneth Paltrow's performance as a member of the Finch family makes you grind your teeth and scream with frustration. The standard is just so inconsistent, it defies belief.
Cinematography too manages to flicker between beautiful and dreadful. A scene where snow is falling on Benning is so crisply and moving filmed is a rare highlight, just like another scene involving the Finch family kitchen roof. Whilst on the opposing spectrum a scene involving Augusten and his mothers lover, a scene which should convey truly heart wrenching power, is filmed ineffectually and passes without merit.
Ultimately "Running with Scissors" just flicks from one side to another. Never knowing what it wants to achieve, it manages to fail to maintain a high standard throughout. Like the characters of the story itself, the film is never quite correctly balanced.