K-PAX (2001)

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

In K-PAX , Kevin Spacey plays Prot, a rather skuzzy-looking character who claims to be from the planet K-PAX which is located in an entirely different solar system. That Prot is a messiah figure is clear from our very first glimpse of him as he arrives on a beam of light. The messianic imagery becomes more pronounced as he is quizzed by the elders and heals those around him.But Prot is a quirky messiah and Kevin Spacey chews up the scenery (as well as some bananas) in this role that is made-to-order for Spacey's abilities. Jeff Bridges turns in a solid performance as the psychiatrist who works with Prot at the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute, Prot's home for most of the story.There are elements of this story that reminded me of many other films. First among these is Starman wherein Bridges plays the alien messiah figure. It also reminded me of John Travolta in Michael. The relationship between psychiatrist and patient is very reminiscent of The Adventures of Don Juan De Marco and Good Will Hunting, movies in which the healers are themselves healed as a result of their interactions. Astute observers may also note similarities to Awakenings, Patch Adams, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.It is a tribute to the director that the film transcends its indebtedness and manages to borrow plot devices and yet weave them into a story that is engaging and original. In spite of the similarities mentioned above, I was engaged throughout the film and was never sure where the storyteller's were taking me next. In fact, at the end of the film the viewer will be left uncertain still. The ambiguity of the ending is one of the strengths of the film. This is one of those "yeah, but" films. That is, as my wife and I talked about the film the whole way home, we found ourselves saying, "yeah, but what if . . .".I do have one minor complaint. There is one line at the very end that I will call "neobabble"-new age theological babble inserted as a kind of moral to the story. It diminished the film's ending somewhat and was pretty unnecessary. Other than that, the film gets a big "thumbs up" for an innovative story and a "stellar" performance by Kevin Spacey. This film does not have all of the answers, but it might get you thinking about some of the questions.

Haven't you watched the film K-PAX yet?! Oh, I should say that you've lost a lot. It is a brilliant film about the life out of the Earth. It is a fantastic story about an alien who came to our planet. Don't you want to know what happened to him next? Firstly, let's talk about actors : Kevin Spacey is Prot; Jeff Bridges is Dr.Mark; Mary McCorn is Rachel; Actors were chosen so good that film became popular among Americans and other part of world. Characters were played so well that even non-Americans would understand their motives. Once a person appeared at the train station, after the policemen caught him and brought to the Psychiatric Institute. There he called himself Prot. His doctor''s name was Dr. Powell. He started to understand his reasons of illness, but actually Prot hadn't got any problems. Prot claimed he is from K-PAX! It's far planet with two suns. And most of patients and Dr.Powell started to believe him. After that doctor decided to start an investigation, He understood Prot's truth. He had a real name and surname, his family on Earth was killed. But Dr. Powell didn't understand Prot is real person or not. Probably, he is a alien or he is a crazy man without family? We think this film is 50/50, because it has boring moments, not cool special effects. But it has got a good idea.No fight moments. There are many dialogues,which are not interesting for children. Pluses: philosophy part, very good actors play, interesting plot, a lot of ideas to think about it!!! Minuses: sometimes imposing of unhealthy lifestyle, not clear final Kinopoisk 8/10; irecommend 4,9/5 There are two possible explanations: 1) Prot is crazy 2) he is truly an alien. It's a great idea to create extraordinary ending, so the viewers may dream future events by themselves

K-Pax is a planet 1,000 light years away and it is where prot (Kevin Spacey) insists he is from. He is admitted to the Psychiatric Institute of Manhattan where Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) examines him. He finds a number of tests validate his claims rather than discredits them. prot can see ultraviolet light, few humans can. A commonly used medication for mental patients has no effect on him. All very interesting, but does it mean anything? Is prot from K-Pax or just another person who has slipped into the mental abyss? Fascinating story, there is very little in this film that will lead you to the answer until you are drawn in. Not a movie for younger children, adult themes.

A derelict man is lifted by the police after an incident in a train station. He subsequently insists his name is Prot and he is from a planet called K-PAX, so he is taken to a mental hospital to be analysed, while there he helps everyone he encounters see the light.This is a clear example of a movie that uses its sci-fi premise to tell us things about ourselves. It's a bit of a clichéd idea and in this case it is done in an excessively syrupy and patronising manner. Kevin Spacey is possibly the most annoying alien to ever have visited Earth; he manages to navigate the entire running time of the movie with a smug, self-satisfied, look on his face. Predictably, he turns out to be an extra-terrestrial who knows humans better than humans, while the inmates of the asylum know more about what's really going on than the doctors, etc etc etc. It's all very tedious and trite. So much so that I was sort of hoping the doctors would re-introduce electro-shock therapy for Prot and his fellow inmates. Additionally, this is a movie with a relentlessly delicate piano-driven soundtrack that started to grate on me after a bit on account of its overbearing worthiness.K-PAX is certainly watchable and has a premise that is pretty decent but it is executed in a manner that undermines its potential effectiveness. It also stars Jeff Bridges as a psychiatrist who needs an alien make him aware that he should spend more time with his son.