RUNNING WITH SCISSORS: DVD

SYNOPSIS:
Growing up in the 1970s, young Augusten Burroughs (Joseph Cross) lives in the middle of a shouting match between his alcoholic father Neil (Alec Baldwin) and an unstable, self-centred mother, Deirdre (Annette Bening), who has delusions of herself as a soon-to-be-famous poet. She has little time for Augusten, who is desperate for her attention - and for a life full of shiny things, plus his own hair salon empire. When his parents finally divorce, Augusten's mother sends him to live with Dr Finch (Brian Cox), her wildly unorthodox psychiatrist and his eccentric family; wife Agnes (Jill Clayburgh), the uptight daughter Hope (Gwyneth Paltrow) and wild child Natalie (Evan Rachel Wood). They are all almost as wacky as his mother ....

Review by Louise Keller:
Best selling author Augusten Burroughs' memoir makes for riveting reading, and the adaptation of his bizarre and often shocking childhood is as dark as the subject matter.
Recounted with honesty and filled with dry humour, Running With Scissors is a gripping drama about a nightmare of a childhood that plays out like a mix of comedy and tragedy. For every aspect that is depressing, there something that is fresh and uplifting, and it is credit to writer director Ryan Murphy for capturing the mood of Burroughs' book so faithfully.

The centre of young Augusten's world (as sensitively played by Joseph Cross) is his highly strung, delusional mother Deirdre (Annette Bening), whose unstable mental state leads her into the care of dubiously qualified analyst Dr Finch (Brian Cox). Bening devours the role, exposing her every emotion. The poetry she writes is her catharsis, as she eagerly tries to unblock her creative constipation. 'Your mother was meant to be a very famous woman,' she tells her son, as she practices her delivery. After an ugly marriage breakdown, she succumbs to Dr Finch's whims. Valium for her, and a new family (his) for Augusten.

Augusten reels from incredulity as he is sucked into his new life. The characters around him are eccentric or crazy, depending on your point of view. The doctor's masturbation room has a photo of the queen on the wall; daughter Hope (Gwyneth Paltrow) follows the bible-inspired voices in her head; daughter Natalie (Evan Rachel Wood) likes to play with electro shock therapy; wife Mrs Finch (Jill Clayburgh, memorable) nibbles dog biscuits in a house of clutter and confusion. Joseph Fiennes is almost unrecognizable as the manic schizophrenic Neil, with whom Augusten has his first gay encounter

Stunning performances take us deep into this sharp and jagged world. The reality is dense and the characters credible. Running With Scissors is a powerful, multi layered film that arrests us at every turn.

DVD special features include 'A Personal Memoir by Augusten Burroughs' and two behind the scenes featurettes.

Published August 23, 2007