2001 / 120 Minutes / PG-13
Reviewed by Dale Nauertz

Is Kevin Spacey an alien? Many of us have been wondering this since the first time we watched the film “Seven”. Well, at last, here comes a film meant to answer this question once and for all.

“K-Pax” is the story of a man named Prot (rhymes with “goat”) who miraculously appears in a beam of light one day in the middle of Grand Central Station. He is a charming, intelligent man who perpetually wears shades because the Earth’s light is too much for him. He claims to be an alien from the planet “K-PAX” and even knows many details about the planet and galaxy which he is from that bewilder and baffle the astronomers that his shrink Mark (Jeff Bridges) consults to determine his mental state. As Mark continues to treat Prot, he encounters more and more strange characteristics and small clues, more little quirks and bizarre mannerisms that make him doubt the man’s origins as well. Is Prot really an alien from a distant planet? Or is he just a simple man with major mental issues?

This is the intriguing conundrum behind the film, and it is fascinating enough to keep us riveted even the when the film occasionally takes a wrong turn or becomes a bit maudlin. There are some goopy moments in “K-PAX”, but the engrossing story and the two lead performances are enough to keep us hooked until the end credits begin to roll. Kevin Spacey is wonderful as Prot. He’s about the only actor I can think of who could have done this role justice, but perhaps that’s simply because he inhabits the role so fully. He adds layers to this man, making him more than just another Mork character. Jeff Bridges has the less showy role of the film, but he too does it gracefully. Jeff is one of those actors I could watch read the phone book and still not be bored. He adds subtle layers to the man that were probably not on the page and keeps you intrigued by everything he does. Even though Spacey has the role requiring him to eat fruit with the peels still on and make advanced astronomical calculations, it is a tribute to Bridges that he keeps us fascinated as well, and with none of Spacey’s eccentricities.

I also admired the performances of the lunatics sharing Spacey’s wing of the asylum. They were all interesting characters as well. I really liked it when Spacey began to cure some of their psychological ailments with simple tasks and his own brand of logic. That was a nice touch.

But mostly, the performances are what keeps you watching. The film takes place in a maximum of three different sets (none of them really dazzling) and one trip to the desert, yet the performances and the story keep you involved until the very end. And the film has a nice level of ambiguity going for it, which helps also. The writing was mostly good (except for the occasional detours into the sappy whenever the word “family” comes up) and the direction and editing also admirable as well. It all seems sorta like “Man Facing Southwest” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” with a hint of “Starman”, but no matter. The performances are what makes it unique.

Neither Spacey nor Bridges is doing their finest work here. But even moderate work by these two pros is worth the price of admission.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 26th, 2002 at 7:48 pm and is filed under Dale's Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.