Asylum (2005)

Calificación de los usuarios:

6.1/10   

Director:

David Mackenzie

Escritores (WGA):

Patrick McGrath (novel)
Patrick Marber (screenplay) ...

Fecha de Lanzamiento:

9 septiembre 2005 (UK)

Género:

Romance | Suspenso

Frase comercial:

Passion knows no boundaries.

Plot:

A woman becomes very curious about one of her psychiatrist husband's inmates, a man who was found guilty in the murder and disfigurement of his former wife.

Plot Keywords:

Psychiatrist | Asylum | Inmate | London | Escape

Premios:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Comentarios de los usuarios:

Desperate Housewives with a morbid twist

Reparto

Natasha Richardson	...	Stella Raphael
Hugh Bonneville	...	Max Raphael
Gus Lewis	...	Charlie Raphael
Ian McKellen	...	Dr. Peter Cleave
Joss Ackland	...	Jack Straffen
Wanda Ventham	...	Bridie Straffen
Sara Thurston	...	Mrs. Rose (as Sarah Thurstan)
Alwyne Taylor	...	Monica
Maria Aitken	...	Claudia Greene
Hazel Douglas	...	Lilly
Anna Keaveney	...	Mrs. Bain
Marton Csokas	...	Edgar Stark
Robert Willox	...	John Archer
Judy Parfitt	...	Brenda Raphael
Sean Harris	...	Nick

También conocida como:

Asylum - entre la pasión y la demencia (Argentina) (video title) [es]
Obsesión (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, some violence and brief language.

Duración:

99 min

País:

UK | Ireland

Idioma:

Inglés

Color:

Color

Relación de Aspecto:

2.35 : 1

Sonido:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Clasificación:

Singapore:R21 | Ireland:16 | Singapore:M18 (edited version) | Portugal:M/16 | Iceland:12 | USA:R (certificate #40745) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Argentina:16 | Germany:16 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Italy:VM14 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:12 | USA:R | UK:15

Locaciones de Filmación:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Compañía:

Paramount Classics

Trivialidades:

Both Marton Csokas and Ian McKellan have appeared in ‘The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring’ and The ‘Lord of the Rings: Return of the King’.

Citas:

Max Raphael: I want you to understand what's going to happen next. The shock will wear off, and it will be replaced by a devastating grief. In time, you will come to terms with what you have done and you'll just be very, very sad. And that sadness will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Conexiones de Película:

References Vertigo (1958)

Desperate Housewives with a morbid twist

Romantic thriller Asylum is a fairly intriguing adaptation of a same-titled McGrath novel, rewritten into a script by the man who wrote Closer -- Patrick Marber. Keeping this in mind whilst watching, it is impossible not to notice similarities in writing between the two films. Like Closer, Asylum is very much a study of human relationships and sexuality and both heavily explore the theme of infidelity. Also, Marber seems to have a thing for having his male character pushing up women against a wall and confronting them with their cheating -- often using violence and crude language. Just an observation.

Moving away from Closer, in Asylum desperate housewife Stella (Natasha Richardson) is bored with her passionless life and dreads every day of being a good little 1950s wife to her stiff husband, who holds an important position as a doctor at a mental asylum nearby. Strolling her garden with her son one day, Stella meets mental patient Edgar who is working for them as their gardener. There is instant forbidden chemistry and the two engage in an illicit affair that soon blossoms into a passionate romance that is shadowed by more than just lust -- it is the fear of getting caught, there is sexual obsession, morbid jealousy on Edgar's part and a great deal of violence ensuing. It all sounds pretty juicy and it is at times so this isn't the kind of movie you want to watch with your parents.

Marton Csokas (whom I haven't seen in much) is perfect for the role of sexy madman Edgar who is so smokin' hot with desire and jealousy that his presence is felt in scenes he isn't even in. Mackenzie shows us the allure of Edgar and make us see why Stella is so attracted to him (in spite of his violent nature) and at the same time makes us see that WE could never be attracted to him. Why not? Because it all comes down to the mental state of Stella and what she needs in her life. I thought the mental state part was handled somewhat sloppily even though we see foreshadowing events. In the end, Asylum is a well-crafted and intense thriller as it succeeds in creating a dark atmosphere throughout and it is, for the most part, well-acted by a respected cast.

7/10