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By
DEBORAH NICOL
Freud would devour this tale of an Ivy League yuppie coming home to his rock 'n'
roll mama in the Hollywood hills. Director Lisa Cholodenko ("High Art") gathers
an adept cast to portray the spectrum of sexual gratification, from the purely
biological to the brazenly uninhibited.
Christian Bale's subdued Sam contrasts sharply against his crazed "American
Psycho" character. The film's Superego, Sam is controlled by what he has decided
is the morally right and socially acceptable career in Psychology (thus the
Psych 101 analysis). He lives in opposition to his mother Jane's (performed to
perfection by Frances McDormand) lifestyle, the balls-out record producer who
feels no need to apologize for her choices -- such as Id is.
Sam's fiancée, Kate Beckinsale's Alex, is an anal doctoral student writing her
dissertation on the chemicals of sex, only to discover its true physical
chemistry. As her shell quickly shatters, her Freudian Ego finds satisfaction in
both worlds, even as mother and son repel one another.
Cholodenko provides an all-access pass into the psyches of these scholars and
hedonists. An excellent director's commentary track and a featurette reveal the inspirations for Jane's
character and efforts towards realism. Cholodenko has created more than a love
letter to the music industry, she has checked them into the nearest mental
facility. |
