I haven't read the novel. In fact, I hadn't heard of it, the suspiciously extraordinary life it describes or the controversy that evidently surrounded the release of book and film alike. I don't know if it is true or not, if he experienced all of these things. That's not what I'm here to determine. What I will tell you is that this, while it may not be for all tastes, is an interesting tale and oddly engaging in spite of how difficult it can be to relate to at times. The situation is foreign, living in this bizarre household, abandoned by the mother. I was impressed with the uncompromising psychological accuracy and harshness, and how every single character is so completely human. The cast is great, and they all deliver compelling performances; none of them feel as though they were given the role on account of star power. I did not realize Cross had such range from Untraceable, and am glad that he got to show it here. The music is well-chosen. This has good writing. I haven't watched anything else by Murphy, but I like his style, and will be on the lookout for other efforts by him. This genuinely engaged me, and situations that have been seen before didn't feel clichéd. There is a ton of strong(at times explicit) language, a bit of disturbing content and a little sexuality in this. I recommend it to anyone who can imagine liking it. 7/10
Review of Running with Scissors
