Spacey’s Prot proves compelling in latest film, K-PAX
by Michael Kraft, entertainment editor

    I have a belief. It’s not a rare belief, for it is shared by many people.

    My belief is this: Kevin Spacey is one of the top two actors of our generation and could turn ANY role into an Oscar-caliber performance.

    For those who are curious, Robert De Niro is the other actor.

Spacey’s new film, K-PAX, is a wonderful dialogue-driven drama that was a true delight to see.

    Spacey plays Prot, supposedly an alien from the planet K-PAX in the Lira constellation.

    Not having any money, or an ID, and claiming he is an alien, Prot is sent from institution to institution before finally ending up in the lap of Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges).

    Being “gentle as a pussy cat,” Prot begins sessions under Dr. Powell without drugs or other chemicals.

    At first, Powell treats Prot like any other delusional case, but Prot is so convincing and sure of himself that Powell starts to doubt his first diagnosis.

    Enter Dr. Steve Becker (Brian Howe).

    Becker is Powell’s brother-in-law, who happens to be an astrophysicist, and at Powell’s request submits a series of specialized questions about K-PAX that may prove Prot is just making history up.

    Well, the answers intrigue Becker, and Prot is taken before a small group of scientists in a planetarium.

    He draws an amazingly detailed map of K-PAX’s orbit in relation to the stars around it and offers an explanation as to why the stars around K-PAX are in an irregular orbit.

    The scientists are shocked as this information is NOT privy to anyone not in the field. However, Powell is still skeptical and is trying to make some progress when Prot announces he will be returning to K-PAX July 27 at 5:51 a.m.

    That announcement leaves about five weeks for Powell to figure him out.

    Powell believes the date itself is the anniversary of the possible tragedy that put Prot’s mind over the edge into delusional fantasies.
After a psychotic freak-out at Powell’s Fourth of July party, which was an attempt to help Prot open up in a family environment, Powell proposes a hypnotic regression into Prot’s past to reveal what has happened to him.

    In a series of sessions that demonstrate Spacey’s acting ability, Powell gets deeper and deeper into the mind of Prot.

    Powell discovers what he believes is a second personality characterized as a “friend” of Prot. His name is not revealed, so Powell believes the “friend” is Prot’s real identity.

    From here on, the film gets REALLY good, so I won’t spoil it.

    The ending is left with different angles that can be interpreted however the individual audience member so desires.

    As usual, Spacey puts in an incredible performance, absolutely stunning in its believability.

    Bridges is excellent as Spacey’s verbal sparring partner. As the doctor who is letting his family life slip away because of his job, he was perfectly cast.

    Unfortunately, Spacey’s monologues and analysis of life on earth seem a little preachy. It’s like the writer is pushing his own beliefs on the audience.

    Some people say it isn’t as “Sci-Fi” as they were led to believe. That’s true.

    The film is less an alien-on-earth film and more of a human-relationship drama, which suits it fine.

    In all, K-PAX is a great movie that makes the audience think and doesn’t spoon-feed the audience every little bit. It actually makes you work a little to enjoy it.