Review: K-PAX (2001)

K-PAX (2001)

3.0

DRAMA
U.S. Release Date: 10/26/01
Running Length 120 Minutes
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Profanity, mature themes)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary McCormack, Alfre Woodard, Brian Howe
Director: Iain Softley
Screenplay: Charles Leavitt, based on the novel by Gene Brewer
Cinematography: John Mathieson
Music: Ed Shearmur
U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures

Review by: Carter Moulton

01/14/09

K-PAX borrows techniques and ideas from other, better films. It mixes One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest's setting—a mental hospital—with 2001: A Space Odyssey's cosmic atmosphere. Although it’s not nearly as good as those two, K-PAX finds a level of engagement that can be deemed successful. How it finds that level is a mystery to me, because its flaws may equal—or even exceed—its successes. A film that’s overlong, pretentious, and sometimes hokey, K-PAX teeters back and forth between powerful and melodramatic. Maybe the answer to its success lies in its theme: life’s vagueness. Even when the story strained to keep my interest, I found myself daydreaming about the uncertainties of our universe. Consequently, K-PAX may not be a great film, but it’s definitely a thought provoking one.

Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects, L.A. Confidential, American Beauty) plays Prot, a man (maybe) who is accidentally arrested in New York City. It’s obvious to us—and should be to the police—that he’s innocent, and the execution of this scene produces a feeble opening. He claims to be a visitor from the planet “K-PAX." Obviously coming off as insane, he is admitted into the Manhattan Psychiatric Center. Once in the hospital, we immediately see how One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest influenced Iain Softley’s film. Patients of the hospital provide brief supporting roles that are all-too-similar.

Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, The Last Picture Show) plays Dr. Mark Powell, the distant, yet respected, director of the Manhattan Psychiatric Center. Dr. Powell meets with all of his patients, and Prot is no exception. Their interactions are the strength the film. Accompanied by an ambient soundtrack, Spacey’s soft-spoken words capture our minds, allowing us to—in an almost meditative state—rummage through our thoughts concerning the unknown. We wonder whether Prot is indeed from “K-PAX," or if he’s just insane.

I’m not familiar with the source material, but simply discovering the truth about Prot would’ve sufficed. Unfortunately, the second half of K-PAX focuses unnecessarily on Dr. Powell’s long-lost relationship with his son and an over-the-top secret about Prot's past. Dr. Powell repeatedly places Prot under hypnosis to fully understand his “thrilling” secret, and this is where the movie really feels too long. Perhaps the film would’ve been more effective if it focused on a specific audience, rather than trying to accommodate everyone. With its contemporary direction and needless twists, it tries to include too much. This stretches (and therefore thins) the script into melodrama.

Luckily, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges play their roles in a way that complement the mood of the picture, and while the script isn't always convincing, the two leads are. As they lightly tread over the awe of the stars in their dialogue, our cynicism is released and we’re filled with wonderment. The philosophical issue of extraterrestrial life is always relevant. Moreover, beholding the vastness of space is an experience I strongly recommend. In the end, it's the interesting concept and the chemistry between Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges that keep K-PAX—and your mind—from falling out of the sky.