movie minute

Scissor Story: The movie version of Running With Scissors, Augusten Burroughs's best-selling book has come to the big screen and while the film deals with some serious themes, it lacks some things in the translation from page to film. Relative newcomer Joseph Cross plays 13-year-old Burroughs who struggles to deal with the strained relations of his parents. His parents are played by Annette Bening and Alec Baldwin (yes, him again) and as their relationship deteriorates, the presence of Dr. Marion Finch promises to help things get better. Soon, however, Burroughs's mom, along with Finch, are deciding that Burroughs would be better off living with the Finch family. Soon bible dipping, dog kibble, and poop prophecies are figuring prominently in his life. The family includes Gwyneth Paltrow (Hope), Evan Rachel Wood (Natalie) and matriarch Agnes, played by Jill Clayburgh. Dr. Finch is played by Scottish actor Brian Cox and as Burroughs is forced to deal with their dysfunction, he soon becomes friends with younger sister Natalie. I want to say that Evan Rachel Wood is a talented actress, however, she needs a new role; the role of tortured-too-much-eyeliner-wearing teenager who smokes is wearing thin. Cross does a very nice job as Burroughs who loves his mother so much but has to deal with the fact that she doesn't want him; she's too self-absorbed in her own drama and psychosis. Clayburgh, whose role as a second mother figure is really written in more than what the book described (in the book she was more passive and didn't figure heavily as a mother figure), is heartwarming and she may be the second person from the film to score an Oscar nod. Bening, of course, would be the main one and while this role is not greatly nuanced or even Bening's best role, she does a good enough job that she should get noticed come nominating time. Another actor worthy of mentioning is Joseph Fiennes who plays Neil Bookman, Augusten's first relationship. He is tender and volatile sometimes in the same scene. The film doesn't capture the true craziness or even the humor (often laugh out loud funny) that the book describes and a couple of the scenes are just a titch too long but gay director Ryan Murphy did give it his all and as far as adaptations go, it could have been worse.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3

possible Oscar nods

Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Actress-Bening
Best Supporting Actress-Clayburgh