K-Pax

Saw K-Pax, a sort of annoying film about a man who is checked into a psychiatric hospital because he claims to be from the planet K-Pax.  Okay, so he's being interrogated by a psychiatrist who like, maybe learns a little something from him, you know?  The film is kind of ambiguous about whether this dude is actually an alien or no, but he's definitely kind of a douchebag.

Although this film came out in 2001, I suspect this film was written in the 60s or something because of the way psychiatry is handled: with great respect, with seemingly ample funding, and with hypnosis and age regression used as tools.  The K-Paxian man himself is institutionalized after just showing up and being chill and strange in Grand Central which I think is not enough.  Maybe it's just the age we live in, but I feel that in order to be realistic, the film should show grim conditions, thin resources, and embattled, indifferent cops.  Perhaps 2001 impacted us more than we thought, or perhaps I'm just used to seeing an America that believes itself to be crumbling.  As I say, this film seems like it was written in the 60s.

Anyway, this K-paxer is aloof and arch and knowing and says things like "`Take a seat?`  What a funny human expression."  He is so wise in the ways of astronomy and space travel but he can't fathom why the psychiatrist would be mad about him giving advice to the other patients.  "Doctor and patient, what a strange human separation."  Yeah, okay Charles Manson, you're sooo wise.

The film is not bad and is probably sort of uplifting but I got very grumpy at the alien guy and would have none of it.  My enjoyment was also probably marred by my neighbor and his truly impressive sound system having a birthday party that escalated into a fist fight.  Maybe I can get him committed?

PS - hah!  And this is a rip-off of a Man Facing Southeast from 1986 (they went to court, according to imdb)