Sigmund Freud lasted long enough to see the start of World War II. Lucky him. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, essentially signaling the beginning of the war. Freud lasted about three weeks beyond this until his suicide on the 23rd. In between these dates, however, writer/director Matt Brown imagines an extended conversation between Freud and Oxford Fellow C.S. Lewis regarding one central question, “Does God exist?”
My question is: “Would a benevolent God namedrop as freely as this film does?”
Seriously, “Does God exist?” is the central question in the entirety of human history, nay human existence, so, hey, let’s get these high-powered cerebral engines revved for a battle royale between two titans of 20th century academia — in the atheist corner: The father of modern psychology, the man who put the complex in Oedipal complex, the Austrian Lip, best known for his “slip,” and the inventor of sexting, Sigmund “Superego” Freud! … and in the God corner: The Christian all the ladies fawn over, the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe, you’ll love him Aslan as there’s no Harry Potter, Clive Staples, “CS” “Call me ‘Jack’ “ Lewis!
All right, you two, I want a fair fight. No predetermination, no metaphysical hypothesizing, and no ball taps. Get it on!
I wish to the God I don’t believe in that the film were even a tenth as fun as it was to write that.
Before I go on, I should point out, I was born into Catholicism, but currently reside on the atheistic side of agnosticism. Personally, I believe the unlikely promotion to President Trump is proof, by itself, that God either doesn’t exist or isn’t benevolent. I will entertain arguments to the contrary, but they have to be better than “you just need faith” or “God works in mysterious ways.” There’s a big difference between “I don’t understand God’s plan” and “this fascist bloated narcissist -by himself- makes
the world a worse place every.single.time he opens his mouth.” I’m sorry, but no benevolent God created our current milieu.
Freud (Anthony Hopkins) lived in London during his dying days. The film presumed that Lewis (Matthew Goode) came down from Oxford to discuss a little literature ‘n’ philosophy at Casa Freud. Both men at the time were published and distinguished writers; Lewis had even critiqued Freud in The Pilgrim’s Regress. However, while Freud’s works were far behind him, Lewis was still a full decade away from penning his magnum opus.
The film caught my curiosity early when Lewis brought up the common supposition that insanity is repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Freud thus concludes that sanity is the ability to change one’s mind. I wasn’t sure that logically follows, but it was, unfortunately, the most thought-provoking comment in the film.
Neither man managed to convince the other, of course.
The most intellectually compelling part of the film, to me, was a matter of movie trivia. Here Hopkins is playing the elderly Freud when three decades ago, he won several awards playing C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands. It wasn’t that the film was empty, Freud’s Last Session simply didn’t capture the imagination it intended to. Part of this wa
s casting: both men are wrong for their roles. Goode comes off as too needy; Hopkins plays Freud as a dude who’s maybe a little German. I found no commitment to role transformation like we’ve all seen from Hopkins previously.
Another problem is Freud’s dismissiveness. That might be 100% accurate and a biographically sound directorial choice. On screen, however, it doesn’t play. Half of the times Lewis has something to say, Freud heads into another room. When a potentially complicated thought is brought up between the men, Freud often dismisses Lewis’ POV without discussing the matter. I found this frustrating. Please, let Lewis talk, I want to hear how God accounts for Nazis. Please explain that to me.
The saddest part of the film is that it knows it’s no My Dinner with Andre. It splices shallow conversation between the two men with vaguely relevant reminisces of WWI and the rise of Hitler. The most fascinating relationship in the film is not the one between Freud and Lewis, but between Freud and his adult daughter, Anna (Liv Lisa Fries).
I’m guessing this film was never going to be Die Hard, but I found myself a little underwhelmed all the same. I came here for a good discussion on God, and the best scene is when the Nazis take Anna instead of Sigmund. None of this does anything for my Id, Ego, or Superego, dig? I feel like I got a better sense of Freud from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
Once lived a psychoanalyst named Freud
His reputation one can hardly avoid
Sex speaking, he’s the bomb
But when you discuss with your mom
You’ll find his theories leave many women annoyed
Rated PG-13, 108 Minutes
Director: Matt Brown
Writer: Matt Brown, Mark St. Germain
Genre: People talkin’
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Fans of pontification
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: “Couldn’t the Luftwaffe bomb this house, too?”
