Spider Movie Review 2002

Gripping and well-directed psychodrama tells the story of Spider, a paranoid-schizophrenic, as he tries to resolve his convoluted memories and emotions. After being released from a mental hospital, Spider (Ralph Fiennes) lives in an eerie halfway house for mental patients. There he recounts the events of his life that led to his tortured state of mind. Yet, since the film is told entirely from Spider's perspective it's impossible to distinguish between reality and the blurred fiction of a madman, making the entire film both illusionary and fascinatingly real. Stellar performances from Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne, and Bradley Hall in an amazing turn as the young Spider. Cronenberg's most polished drama to date shows that he's successfully outgrown the moniker of Canada's "baron of blood."

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 98 minutes.
Originally from Canadian, British.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Hard Knock Life, London, Sanity Check, Family Ties, Homicide, Period Piece: 1980s, Flashback, Only the Lonely, Oldest Profession, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Patrick McGrath

Cast

Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne, Bradley Hall, Lynn Redgrave, John Neville, Gary Reineke, Sara Stockbridge, Philip Craig

Cinematography

Peter Suschitzsky

Director

David Cronenberg

Music

Howard Shore

Other

Glen Gauthier, Ronald Sanders, T. Arrinder Grewal, Denise Cronenberg, Andrew Sanders

Producer

David Cronenberg, Samuel Hadida, Artists Independent Network, Capitol Films, Grosvenor Park, Andreas Klein, Sony Pictures Classics

Awards

Genie 2002: Director (Cronenberg).