‘Spider’
Capitol Films, 2002

starring: Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne and Lynn Redgrave
directed by: David Cronenberg

the plot: After Dennis “Spider” Cleg (Fiennes) is released from the mental institution he’s called home for the last 20 years, his trip down the road to mental health takes a sharp detour when he’s sent to live in a London halfway house in his childhood neighborhood. When not facing off against the martinet nurse (Redgrave) who runs the house, Spider wanders the streets, lost in flashbacks of his troubled youth. He chronicles his memories using an elaborate series of symbols in a worn journal and visits his old house and the pub his father (Byrne) frequented. But it’s when Spider finds the abandoned gardening shed where he remembers seeing his father kill his mother and replace her with a prostitute (both women played by Richardson) that the line between memory and reality blurs, leaving him confused and uncertain. Figuring out what happened to his mother will be the key to Spider’s salvation.

why it’s good: With a mere 37 days until Cronenberg’s latest film, “A History of Violence,” is unleashed on theaters, it’s worth checking out “Spider,” one of his most low-key works. Lacking the oozing orifices and grotesque body modifications found in typical Cronenberg outings, “Spider” is a quiet meditation on the mischievous nature of memory. Though Spider is an almost silent character who does little more than stumble around, Fiennes manages to bring depth and a quiet sadness to the role. However, it’s Richardson who has the best performance here, with her transformation from shrill prostitute Yvone to the domestic Mrs. Cleg so complete and convincing that she seems like two different actresses. And though fans might miss the usual grue that comes with a Cronenberg film, there’s plenty of surreality to navigate through as Spider’s confused mental state blends the past and present together into a complex puzzle with more than a few missing pieces.

why you should own it: Viewers in the mood for cerebral suspense should have “Spider” on their shelves. Columbia Tri-Star’s DVD features commentary by Cronenberg and a trio of featurettes, including one on the various deals that put “Spider” into production, one on the making of the film and one about the cast.