Set at the opening of the 20th century, A Dangerous Method is about a relationship between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley). The latter, a beautiful Russian Jew, is a mental patient of the former, a Swiss psychiatrist. She likes it rough; he is married but can’t resist exploring the limits of desire. In the middle of all of this scandal and spanking appears Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen). The Viennese quack smokes long penises and thinks everything comes down to the anus. The film’s artistic value is very respectable—the costumes are faultless, the pacing impeccable, and the performances solid. It’s hard to imagine David Cronenberg making a film that is not worth seeing. (CHARLES MUDEDE)