A wonderfully fresh, original piece of work, K-Pax is a film that manages to combine a variety of genres while still maintaining its own unique identity. The premise of alien life on earth may not be a new one, but Ian Softley's movie is a startling new take on the subject. Spacey's Prot is picked up by the police and, when he claims to be a traveller from the planet K-Pax, is delivered to the care of psychiatrist Jeff Bridges. The intense relationship that develops between the two forms the core of the film, as Bridges searches for the truth about his mysterious patient while also gaining valuable insights into his own life. The movie's great strength is that it keeps the audience guessing up until the very end, refusing to offer them an obvious, tidy conclusion. Spacey is, as ever, fantastic, playing the kind of charismatic oddball that brought him such acclaim in American Beauty and The Usual Suspects. He manages to embody the themes of the film perfectly, imbuing his character with both a rich humanity and an eerie otherworldliness. Bridges (20 years after he played the role of an alien in Starman) is a revelation, reasserting his position as one of Hollywood's great unsung actors. Softley handles the film with precision, with each revelation from Prot's past adding to the mystery of the story, countering the film's dark, moving moments with episodes of real humour and warmth.
On the DVD: K-Pax offers a wealth of treasures on disc. Director Softley provides two commentaries (one for the UK and one for the US) and there is an interesting "making of" featurette that goes beyond the usual platitudes to offer a genuine insight into the creative process. A series of deleted scenes are combined with an alternative ending, though all the material on offer is careful not to spoil the vital ambiguity of the plot's conclusion. All the major participants are interviewed and there is a gallery of still photographs taken by Bridges. The film's often dreamlike visual mood is captured beautifully by the enhanced format; this is undoubtedly a well thought out package. --Phil Udell
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