REEL CRITIC

Tricia Behle

“K-PAX” doesn’t arouse strong feelings either way. It isn’t terrible

enough to hate, but it isn’t good enough to inspire enthusiasm. It is a

mildly amusing film that loses itself along the way.

Prot (Kevin Spacey) claims to be an alien from the planet K-PAX, on a

visit to Earth. This claim earns him the attention of the New York Police

Department, and gets him committed to the Psychiatric Institute of

Manhattan. His case is assigned to Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges), who

classifies his new patient as a human being with severe delusions.

“K-PAX” uses the lives and interactions of these two main characters

to explore the importance of human connections. The movie is interested

in those bonds of love, friendship or concern between people, which bring

happiness or comfort to those involved. When those bonds are strained or

broken, sadness and anguish are the result.

The movie starts out promisingly enough. The early scenes between Prot

and Dr. Powell are funny and engaging. They benefit from Spacey and

Bridges being two talented, experienced actors. Spacey brings a light

touch to Prot’s eccentric nature and humorous lines. Bridges knows how to

use restraint for effect, which serves to counterbalance the two

characters.

As more characters and subplots are introduced, the movie loses its

effectiveness. Prot’s fellow patients at the institute are the usual

Hollywood depiction of the mentally ill. The interactions between Prot

and the other patients are the weakest and sappiest parts of the film.

Powell’s marriage is in trouble, but he barely notices, and the film

doesn’t really seem too interested in it either.

As the main story line between Powell and Prot progresses, the twists

and turns get less convincing. It tries too hard to play both sides, Prot

as alien and Prot as mentally ill human. For everything the movie tries

to pack in, the pacing feels too slow. In the end, “K-PAX” feels vaguely

unsatisfying.

“K-PAX” is rated PG-13 for a sequence of violent images, and brief

language and sensuality.

* TRICIA BEHLE, 32, lives in Newport Beach and works as a software

validator.