Film review: ‘FREUD’S LAST SESSION’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

As the nazis rose to power in Germany and annexed Austria, famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and his family, including daughter Anna and her girlfriend Dorothy, fled Vienna for London. There, Freud reestablished his practice and as his health failed, he groomed Anna as his successor.  In 1939, as World War 2 began, it is alleged he was visited one afternoon by a young Oxford professor.  The film, Freud’s Last Session speculates that the visitor may have been author C.S. Lewis who would go on to create the beloved Narnia series.  The film imagines the conversation that would have transpired and shows committed Christian Lewis and avowed atheist Freud discussing the nature of humankind and the reality of God.  As the debate ensues and the state of the world and the condition of a physically ailing Freud worsens, the discussion takes a darker and more bitter tone.

This fascinating, if cinematically limited and occasionally clunky, film is a treat for those who revel in highly literate and insightful dialogue in their movies.  Writers Mark St Germain and Matthew Brown (who also directed) have fashioned an intellectual but accessible discussion between the two learned, sophisticated but flawed men.  It’s also quite funny at times, including one scene where Freud makes Lewis take his dog for a walk.

Although he only keeps up the Austrian accent for about five minutes before sounding like a Welshman, Hopkins is typically wonderful as Freud.  He plays him as an acerbic, world-weary cynic who attempts to needle Lewis and poke holes in his faith.  Appropriately, our feelings and sympathies for Freud swing back and forth as he switches from razor sharp intellectual to mocking bully to quirky old coot.  Through flashbacks we learn something of Freud’s childhood and the basis of his attitude toward religion but this film is not a comprehensive Freud biopic.

Goode, who was unforgettable as Robert Evans in the Godfather miniseries, The Offer is also terrific.  On the surface, he’s the phlegmatic English gentleman scholar deftly batting away Freud’s jibes like a Dennis Compton square cut.  As Freud starts to psychoanalyse him, though, we learn of Lewis’ personal doubts and his PTSD from World War 1.  The film also suggests that his conversion from atheist to Christian was apparently inspired by an Oxford colleague, one J.R.R. Tolkien.

This is essentially a filmed play with most of it taking place in Freud’s den with the famous couch.  There’s only a couple of external shots establishing wartime London but these involve telemovie production design and effects.

While the discussion is mostly stimulating and insightful, there are a few clumsy moments here and some dialogue that feels forced such as when Freud just happens to mention that he had recently been hobnobbing with Einstein.

For the most part, though, this is a fine piece of low-key, intelligent British filmmaking of the kind we don’t see enough these days.

Nick’s rating: ***1/2

Genre: Drama/ Biopic.

Classification: M.

Director(s): Matthew Brown.

Release date: 18th Apr 2024.

Running time: 122 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

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