Spider (2003)

Internal madness is hypnotically externalized in David Cronenberg's Spider, a disturbing portrait of schizophrenia. Adapted by Patrick McGrath from his celebrated novel, this no-frills production begins when "Spider" Cleg (Ralph Fiennes, in a daring, nearly nonverbal role) returns to his childhood neighborhood in London's dreary East End, where a traumatic event from his past percolates to the surface of his still-erratic consciousness. Released from a mental institution and left to fend for himself, he pursues elusive memories while staying in a halfway house run by a stern matron (Lynn Redgrave), unable to distinguish between past, present, and psychological fabrication. The distorting influence of Spider's mind is directly reflected in Cronenberg's cunning visual strategy, presenting a shifting "reality" that's deliberately untrustworthy, until the veracity of nearly every scene is called into question. With an impressive dual-role performance by Miranda Richardson, Spider falls prey to its own lugubrious rhythms, but like the acclaimed 1995 indie film Clean, Shaven, it's a compelling glimpse of mental illness, seen from the inside out. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

One of my favorite movies ever

I am a massive Ralph Fiennes fan. Let's just get that out of the way right now. I have no doubt that this man could act out the phone book and make it interesting. With that said, this is my favorite RF movie, and subsequently, one of my favorite movies of all time.

It's difficult to describe the plot because, as others have said, it's complex and filled with twists that I really don't want to give away. So my only real option is to focus on the direction and acting, both of which are brilliant. This is a more restrained version of a Cronenberg movie, but no less interesting. He uses a massive amount of symbolism that makes you feel like you're inside a work of art, as opposed to just watching it.

The two best performances are from Miranda Richardson and Ralph Fiennes. Richardson plays three different characters (more of that symbolism) and by the end, manages to blend all three together into a sum where you can actually pick out what aspects belong to each character. It's a really incredible sight. Fiennes, on the other hand, goes in the opposite direction. He gets so into his character, it becomes totally and eerily believable. He barely says a single comprehensible word so the entire film relies on his body language. I think it's incredible that he carries the movie so well.

Some have said this film moves at a slow pace, but that wasn't the case for me. I was really interested in what was happening and what was going to happen, although I can understand that some might find it tough to sit through. This is a movie that will make you think, and I would definitely suggest it to anyone who's interested. September 16, 2008

Underappreciated Cronenberg Gem Contains Fiennes At His Best

David Cronenberg.

Anyone familiar with the name automatically begins to visualize all sorts of grotesque cinematic scenes, ranging from a woman licking a fetus clean in "The Brood" to James Woods shoving a gun in a newfound bodily orifice growing in his stomach in the film "Videodrome." If they're not thinking of this, they're reminded of the exploding head in "Scanners" or the metamorphosis of Jeff Goldblum into 'Brundlefly' in
The Fly."

However, despite the man's penchant for shocking and often gory imagery, he is also a master helmsman of dark emotional currents, seen throughout many of his films (notably "Dead Ringers" and the vastly underrated "M Butterfly") where he takes viewers into deep recesses of their own minds, forcing them to confront thoughts and underlying desires which normally go suppressed, denied or never realized on a day to day basis.

As such, Cronenberg was the perfect choice for this film, a dark tale of a very disturbed man named Dennis "Spider" Cleg who is trying to make sense of the events in his life that have left him traumatized and asylum-bound, seemingly from paranoid schizophrenia. Recently released from an institution and sent to a halfway house under the rule of a seemingly tyrannical housekeeper named Miss Wilkinson, Spider spends the majority of his time rolling cigarettes, mumbling to himself as he wanders boyhood streets in London, and writing in frantic scribbles in a small notepad which he keeps hidden under a rug in his room. His frenzied writing activates a travel through his memory, doing a house cleaning of sorts as he is forced to confront head on the things that have made him the way he is.

The particular genius of this film is how it quickly establishes Spider as being a very disturbed individual, thus making the viewer accept that he is obviously not the most reliable narrator. As such, the travels through his memories cannot really be taken as gospel or truth, and in many ways, the viewer is likewise experiencing these visions for the first time, much like the one manifesting them. Another stroke of genius was how Cronenberg places Spider in the midst of these flashbacks, leaving the disheveled man standing in the background as the young Spider undergoes the experience. It's a technique similar to one used by the director in his earlier film, "The Dead Zone," where Christopher Walken's character is contained within his glimpses into the future. This works to a great effect, as it forces the viewer to experience firsthand the journey Spider is going through in his mind, and it produces some great visuals and haunting moments.

The true strength of the film, outside of its beautiful camera work and a brooding score from Cronenberg regular Howard Shore (aided by the Kronos Quartet, the soundtrack is worth tracking down if you can find it), is the stunning performance of Ralph Fiennes. This is a true actor, one of the finest I have ever seen in all honesty, but despite knowing how good he was before watching this film, I was still in shock at how solid he is throughout by the end credits. One literally forgets he is acting, and becomes convinced that he is indeed a man named Dennis Cleg. With his mussed hair, medicated posture, nicotine-stained fingers, and shifting eyes, Fiennes literally looks the part of a seriously disturbed and tragic individual. This is definitely his finest hour, a hard thing to imagine from the man who brought brilliance to "The English Patient" and "Schindler's List." The rest of the cast is great as well, including Miranda Richardson in three astonishing roles and the always reliable Gabriel Byrne, who with one look can express all the dissatisfaction of his character. Weaker actors would have to use dialog, yet Byrne can do it with a simple turn of the head or a twist of the mouth. The addition of John Neville as another resident of the halfway house only makes the impressive performances that much stronger. Honestly, this is one of the best casts I have ever seen for a small-scale art film.

As a fan of the book, written by screenwriter Patrick McGrath, I was definitely not let down by this release. In many ways, the film improves on the book, downplaying some elements of Spider's personality which reeked of misanthropy and thus made him more sympathetic. It is also much more sparse and less hallucinatory, allowing for one to have a clearer grip on where things are headed, and ultimately, the film makes the tragedy of Spider's life that much more palpable. The film also ends on a decidedly less grim note than the book, which is brilliant in its own right. Altogether, it is a film that is faithful to the source material despite several changes which alter its outcome throughly. Anyone who wants a good read should check the book out, as should those who count themselves fans of this movie.

If I have one complaint, it would be the pacing of the film. The first third seems to take forever to move through, and with such soft-spoken dialog, it seems to take a good thirty or forty minutes to really get to the meat of the tale. However, there's a good reason for this, which is namely Cronenberg's studious approach to detail and restraint, placing the viewer within a similar mindset of anxiety to get to the bottom of things , a feeling obviously consuming Mr. Cleg. If you can make it through the first third, you will easily finish the film with little regret, but for those with short attention spans, you may want to look elsewhere for your entertainment.

Is this my favorite work from Cronenberg? No. It is definitely one of his better films, however, and one that shows the type of mastery of filmmaking that has allowed the man to make so many brilliantly executed pieces of cinema. A dark, haunting, and lingering experience, this film is highly recommended. February 13, 2008

Memories collect like dead flies

This psychological thriller feels like an endurance test. Cronie traps you in his web and lets you dangle hopelessly. Your brain slowly turns to mush as he grinds down your power of perception. Some might initially feel irritated with his warped little subterfuge, but what did you expect? THIS IS CRONENBURG!!
Ralph Fiennes stars as Spider, an unstable man released from a mental institute in order to live in a halfway house. Spider walks very slowly and his speech is often hard to decipher. This made me wonder what was done to him in that insane asylum. Nothing says I'm sorry like a free pass out of the nuthouse.
Anyway, Spider's new dwelling just happens to be near the place where he grew up. He had a traumatic and mysterious childhood, and he never had the chance to piece some questions together.
Like one huge question--what happened to his mom? Daddy replaced her with the local barfly as his mother disappeared without a trace.
You are dragged along on this quest for truth in surreal fashion. Pieces of his memory and imagination distort this journey. I totally love Cronenburg's distinctive style. He never reveals too much too soon, always keeps you guessing. This story seems hopelessly complex until you are able to break it down to its basic elements. After I figured out what was going on, I actually had to rewatch a few scenes in order to fully grasp everything. Cronie loves to get inside your head. January 7, 2008

Great work of ART-no story details revealed here:

Spider is a fantastic film of a man's return to the place of his childhood and its momentous event, beautifully directed, acted and shot. I found the story highly interesting, and David Cronenberg's creation of a man's mind in present day London to be mesmerizing. Without giving anything away-you may have to read another review for details-Spider turns out to be a fascinating puzzle brilliantly fashioned by several great artists.
Take the time to pay attention and you will hopefully recognize the depth and mystery of this story.
After which I would highly recommend watching the three featurettes in the DVD's extras. It is very rare to hear a director and actors speak frankly and technically about the process of creating, and watching David Cronenberg is a terrific lesson. November 20, 2007

This Spider is stranger than any arachnid

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RQKE2Y4PL2D40 After a slow start, this is a powerful, albeit painful, film, depicting madness, its early signs, and its consequences. The acting is brilliant and, if you can stand the tragedy, it is a fascinating look at insanity, as well as a puzzle to intrigue you, with several possible solutions, none of which is pretty.

After posting this review, I was informed by several people, that I had misprounced Mr. Fiennes's first name, as he uses the Old English pronunciation of "Rafe" instead of the American "Ralph". My apologies to Mr. Fiennes and his fans. November 16, 2007

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