K-PAX Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)October 17th, 2001
K-PAX
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Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges, "The Contender") is juggling a large caseload at a Manhattan psychiatric hospital when he's introduced to new patient Prot (Kevin Spacey, "Pay It Forward"). Prot, who devours fruit and wears dark sunglasses due to light sensitivity, captures the doctor's interest with his inhuman response to drugs, his rational intelligence, and his claim to be from a planet 1,000 light years away - "K-PAX."
Director Iain Softley ("The Wings of the Dove") takes two of America's finest actors and guides them through this amalgamation of "Awakenings" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with top notch technical competence. The story however, adapted by screenwriter Charles Leavitt ("The Mighty") from the novel by Gene Brewer, pulls a few fast ones in the fantastical fluff vein, in order to have its cake and eat it too.
Prot becomes very popular with the members of his ward, all quirky characters with non-harmful, endearing problems. He upsets Mark by counselling them, but of course his methods work. He astounds Mark (and a panel of astronomy experts) with his knowledge of distant solar systems. His claim of returning to K-PAX on July 27, plus an ultimatum from hospital chief Dr. Villars (Alfre Woodard), inspires Dr. Powell to invite Prot to his home for July 4, hoping that family interaction may provide a breakthrough. It does, and after a series of increasingly stressful hypnotic regression sessions, Dr. Powell is finally able to attach Prot to an earthbound tragedy. Meanwhile, the ward residents write essays in order to win the prized spot of accompanying Prot back to K-PAX.
Jeff Bridges is fine as Mark Powell, a man so devoted to his patients he takes his family for granted. Spacey gives himself an odd appearance by loping about on the balls of his feet and eating bananas unpeeled. He should beware of typecasting, however, this being his second 'saintly damaged'
persona (the other being Eugene Simonet of "Pay It Forward") he's played since winning his Best Actor Oscar for "American Beauty" (where he was also damaged, and certainly otherworldly!). Mary McCormack ("Private Parts") is supportive in the wife role (again). David Patrick Kelly ("The Crow") does a Michael Jeter turn as patient Howie. Saul Williams ("Slam") is Ernie, a patient with a phobia of air contaminants who always wears a surgical mask and latex gloves, almost normal behavior in these times.
While "K-PAX" does a fair job of tying up psychological loose ends, providing explanations for Prot's more pedestrian K-Paxian cultural traits, it's weak on working in logic for the fantastic ones. "K-PAX" never leaves the stratosphere.
C+
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