Augusten Burroughs' 1970s childhood was made to be dramatized, said Rob Nelson in The Village Voice. In writing a popular memoir about his formative years, Burroughs seized on a 'œclassic 'Me' decade maxim: That which doesn't kill you makes absolutely fabulous material.' When Deidre (Annette Bening) decides that her son is blocking her path to literary fame, she turns the care of Augusten (Joseph Cross) over to her quack therapist, Dr. Finch (Brian Cox). Dr. Finch's home is an asylum that holds his wife, Agnes (Jill Clayburgh), two daughters, and his 'œadopted' 35-year-old son, Neil. In the book, it's clear that the Finch household is an unhealthy place, said Mary Pols in the Contra Costa, Calif., Times. But director Ryan Murphy forgets that 'œthere's a fine line between zany and crazy.' Zany is just blockbuster fodder, while crazy is actually dangerous. When Neil seduces 13-year-old Augusten in the movie, it's a wacky adventure. In real life, it's rape. 'œThe picture's saving grace is that so many of the actors warm to the material,' said Stephanie Zacharek in Salon.com. Bening is clearly gunning for an Oscar, Clayburgh is beautifully understated, and Alec Baldwin is heartbreaking in the tiny role of Augusten's estranged dad.
Rating: R
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