Running with Scissors (film)

Running with Scissors
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ryan Murphy
Produced by	Ryan Murphy Brad Pitt Brad Grey Dede Gardner Augusten Burroughs
Screenplay by	Ryan Murphy
Based on	Running with Scissors  by Augusten Burroughs
Starring	Annette Bening Brian Cox Joseph Fiennes Evan Rachel Wood Alec Baldwin Jill Clayburgh Joseph Cross Gwyneth Paltrow
Music by	James S. Levine
Cinematography	Christopher Baffa
Editing by	Byron Smith
Studio	Plan B Entertainment Ryan Murphy Productions
Distributed by	TriStar Pictures
Release date(s)	October 27, 2006 (2006-10-27)
Running time	116 minutes 122 minutes (DVD release)
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$7,460,797

Running with Scissors is a 2006 American comedy-drama film based on Augusten Burroughs' 2002 memoir of the same name, written and directed by Ryan Murphy, and starring Joseph Cross, Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Rachel Wood, Alec Baldwin, Jill Clayburgh, and Gwyneth Paltrow with supporting roles filled by Kristin Chenoweth and Gabrielle Union, among others.

Plot

Based on Augusten Burroughs' memoir of the same name, the film is a semi-autobiographical account of Burroughs' childhood. His mother, Deidre (Annette Bening), who wishes to become a famous poet, suffers from severe mood swings and erratic behavior. And Augusten's alcoholic father Norman (Alec Baldwin) proves to be no help. By the time he is a teenager, Burroughs (Joseph Cross) no longer feels safe in his own house. Deidre claims that Norman is the reason for her unhappiness, and that he desires to kill her and their son. His parents ultimately place him under the care of his mother's unorthodox psychiatrist Dr. Finch (Brian Cox), the eccentric patriarch of an oddball family. Which consists of his submissive wife Agnes (Jill Clayburgh), overtly-religious daughter Hope (Gwyneth Paltrow), and his rebellious youngest one Natalie (Evan Rachel Wood).

Augusten finds it hard to adjust to living in his unconventional surroundings among the doctor’s family, and is subject to irregular weekend visits by his increasingly unsound mother. After confessing to Natalie that he is gay, Burroughs befriends Neil Bookman (Joseph Fiennes), Finch's adopted 33-year-old son. The two enter an erratic sexual relationship quickly after meeting, but Augusten finds it difficult to cope with their vast age difference.

Dr. Finch uses his financial troubles to manipulate Deidre into signing over her legal equities in order to gain her spousal support. Deidre finds temporary stability with her living companion Dorothy (Gabrielle Union), but Augusten feels like his mother no longer needs him, and deals with the negative effects of Neil's onset schizophrenia.

The story is of a childhood in which the boundary between reality and fantasy is ignored and finally broken.

Cast

• Annette Bening as Deidre Burroughs
• Brian Cox as Dr. Finch
• Joseph Fiennes as Neil Bookman
• Evan Rachel Wood as Natalie Finch
• Alec Baldwin as Norman Burroughs
• Jill Clayburgh as Agnes Finch
• Joseph Cross as Augusten Burroughs
  • Jack Kaeding as 6-year-old Augusten
• Gwyneth Paltrow as Hope Finch
• Gabrielle Union as Dorothy
• Patrick Wilson as Michael Shephard
• Kristin Chenoweth as Fern Stewart
• Dagmara Dominczyk as Suzanne
• Colleen Camp as Joan
• Marianne Muellerleile as Nurse
• Augusten Burroughs (uncredited) as Himself
• Leslie Grossman (uncredited) as Sue

Reception

The film was poorly received, garnering only 30% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Annette Bening's performance in the film did garner her some praise, earning her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for the film was released on September 26, 2006, a month prior to the film's release.

1. "Pick Up the Pieces" – Average White Band
2. "Blinded by the Light" – Manfred Mann's Earth Band
3. "The Things We Do For Love" – 10cc
4. "Mr. Blue" – Catherine Feeny
5. "One Less Bell to Answer" – The 5th Dimension
6. "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás" (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps) – Nat King Cole
7. "Poetry Man" – Phoebe Snow
8. "Bennie and the Jets" – Elton John
9. "Year of the Cat" – Al Stewart
10. "O Tannenbaum" – Vince Guaraldi Trio
11. "A Great Ocean Liner" – James S. Levine
12. "Stardust" – Nat King Cole
13. "Teach Your Children" – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

An adaptation of Telepopmusik's "Another Day" was also an underlying theme that recurred several times throughout the film. "Waltz For Debby", "Very Early", and "Re: Person I Knew", by Bill Evans are used in the film as well. The song playing in the "Stew" scene is "d-moll" by the duo Tosca off of their album Delhi 9; this theme is repeated through the film.

See also

• List of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender-related films by storyline

External links

• Official website
• Running with Scissors at the Internet Movie Database
• Running with Scissors at AllRovi
• Running with Scissors at Box Office Mojo
• Running with Scissors at Rotten Tomatoes
• Running with Scissors at Metacritic