K-PAX

Plot synopsis:
In 1990, a white male is picked up by the New York Police after being found bending over the victim of a mugging at Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan. After responding to the police questions with somewhat strange answers, he is transferred to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation. Although not physically ill, he is found to harbour the strange delusion that he is from a planet called K-PAX in the constellation of Lyra. The patient, who calls himself "prot" (intentionally lower-case to reflect the insignificance of an individual life form in the universe), is eventually transferred to the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute (MPI), where he becomes the patient of Dr. Gene Brewer.
Prot is extremely fond of fruit, including banana skins and apple cores, which he eats during each session. He tells Brewer that he is 337 (Earth) years old, that he has visited Earth often, and that on this visit he has traveled to most of the world's countries for the past 4 years and 9 months. He has a good sense of humor (during their first session, he says, "But don't worry - I'm not going to leap out of your chest," an allusion to the film Alien). Brewer discovers that prot also possesses arcane information about astronomy, which, later, astronomers become very excited about; prot appears to be a savant. Prot also claims to understand most human languages (at least enough to get by) as well as the languages of animals, including whale song, and the apparent gibberish of some of the patients with schizophrenia.
Though prot's dialogue is usually satirical, he turns out to be highly suggestible and easily hypnotized. Once Brewer learns this, he begins more serious therapy.
Brewer, with the help of a journalist named Giselle Griffin, discovers that prot may be an alter ego (the result of Multiple Personality Disorder) of Robert Porter, whose life has been devastated by the murder of his wife and child and his subsequent killing of the perpetrator. Brewer speculates that the name prot is "derived, presumably, from Porter."
When prot "returns" to his own planet, Robert Porter is left in a catatonic state. However, Bess (another patient prot had promised to take with him) disappears along with a box of souvenirs prot has been collecting.
Prot promises to return in "about five of your years."

Tags: comedy, fantasy, murder, cult, atmospheric, philosophical

Review:
It never ceases to amaze me how movies like this get made.No car crashes, no explosions, no pyrotechnical performances with people screaming at each other or themes/bravura megalomaniacal rants that self-consciously have "Please nominate me for an Oscar" whispering in the Academy's ear.No, instead we're given a quiet, enormously fascinating, compassionate, well-intentioned film that sits back and realizes that above beautiful cinematography (Which it has in spades), before performances which nail you to your seat (Which it carries in abundance), the most important thing of all is story.
Everyone from the science fiction fans (Who appreciated the depth and seriousness of the subject matter) to the warm n' fuzzy brigade (Who "Get the message" of the movie) have done their part to praise the various facets of a film that refuses to be categorized and is simply a very, very good story.And perhaps because of that, because no one knows precisely what it is, just that's it's wonderful--Not unlike Prot himself--the people who came to this picture and created it have made a film that doesn't slant itself one way or the other but does a wonderful job of juggling seemingly disparate elements--the science, the drama, the message,the psychological aspects--and approach the movie fresh-eyed and innocent.
And Iain Softley obviously had an enormous respect for the material because when it came time to tell the stories and let it speak through the actors, he pulled back, kept it simple and left the audience to witness to incredible performances by Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey to leave viewers with the same feeling; the acting is beautiful and inspiring.Kevin Spacey's "Prot" is a wonderfully understated character with the gentle, knowing presence of an outsider who understands.
He brings to the story the delicate sense of ironic humanity that comes from someone who may not actually lay claim to being human.Jeff Bridges provides the warm, tired, cynical but still hopeful center of the film that provides reality to Spacey's quiet otherworldliness.
Jeff Bridges is the much needed Everyman of this movie who is like so many of us out there; intelligent, wanting to do the right thing, essentially a good person at heart who is perhaps little lost and a LOT tired of the shackling nature of every day life in a first world nation.
That is the question that Dr. Powell (Jeff Bridges) must answer before the self proclaimed deadline that Prot sets for his departure from Earth.As the film unfolds and more evidence is uncovered, both theories grow in credibility.
However, Softley remains unobtrusive, delivering great power through the use of subtlety, a pleasant change from today's vanguard directors who visually grab and shake the viewer as if to scream, `Look how brilliant I am!'Kevin Spacey once again delivers a marvelous performance as Prot.
Valid questions, all of which are raised and explored in the story of a particular individual's personal journey, a strange and dramatic odyssey that defies facts and logic, in `K-PAX,' directed by Iain Softley, and starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges.
In the wake of an incident in New York's Central Station, a man named Prot (Spacey) is transported to a psychiatric hospital in Manhattan, where he is delivered into the care of Dr. Mark Powell (Bridges), who attempts to uncover the truth about his patient, who claims to be from the distant planet K-PAX.
As we've come to expect, Kevin Spacey gives a brilliant performance as Prot, presenting his character from the inside out, emotionally deep and physically convincing at the same time.
The story is about a mysterious mental patient Prot, played by Kevin Spacey, and his unbelieving psychiatrist Dr. Powel, played by Jeff Bridges.
and it IS good.Kevin Spacey is without doubt one of the greatest actors ever and I really like Jeff Bridges (Big Lewbowski, Blown Away, Arlington Road).
but what if his story is so believable that even his psychiatrist begins to wonder if he is telling the truth.That is how the story evolves with Bridges going through all kinds of emotions dealing with Prot (as he is known), his own psychiatric colleagues, his wife and family, his brother-in-law and his cosmologist astronomer work colleagues (who after getting some data from Prot, pretty much admit that he might be telling the truth!) A great film...
It never ceases to amaze me how people's minds work.First, you have a brilliant actor - Kevin Spacey - pulling off perhaps the best acting performance of his career as Prot.
What if - that is the question this movie wants to - and manages to - raise.Then you have the ending, which isn't Hollywood-like, it only slightly touches the usual clichés about family and stuff, yet it is hart-warming and beautiful in its own silly way.
When I started to see this movie, other movie comes to my mind...In 1986, Eliseo Subiela (Argentina) made a movie called "Hombre Mirando al Sudeste" (Man Facing Southeast / Man Looking Southeast).The same story, characters, ....The writer/director of K-PAX knows about that movie ?
Iain Softley's "K-PAX" starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges is a very special movie.
He is assigned under the care of psychiatrist, Dr. Mark Powell (Bridges) who is intrigued by Prot's conviction or delusion that he is from the planet K-PAX, a thousand light years away.
I was surprised that at the end of the film at least the message "Inspired in the movie Hombre mirando al Sudeste" was not shown...the film is almost a remake!!!!It's a good version, but the fact that they never mention it makes me feel a little uncomfortable..
The film uses hypnosis a great deal in the story, as Bridges wants to regress Prot and try and get the answers as to who he really is.
On the other hand, this actor can make very interesting choices in the theatre and also he has a fine sense of helping other worthy causes, as he did with COBB, at the Lortel Theatre in NY, in which he spent his own money because he thought it was a good play.There are people that keep comparing him with that other actor who makes dismal choices, but Spacey is an intelligent individual who can act, be it in the theatre, television, or films and he deserves better material in which to shine on his own.
Are we supposed to want Jeff Bridges to actually punch him - repeatedly - instead of analysing him?See the original, forgive Kevin Spacey this bad, cynical, money-making mistake, then forget "K-Pax" ever existed..
Prot (Kevin Spacey) is a patient in a psychiatric hospital, whose claims of being a visitor from another planet cause quite a stir amongst the other patients, and capture the interest of psychiatrist Dr.Powell (Jeff Bridges).
Committed to a mental hospital, he's treated by a psychiatrist (Bridges) who is at first is intrigued by his tales and then as he becomes more involved realizes the effect Prot is having on the other patients and tries to figure out how to help him.There is a scene where Spacey is under hypnosis and he switches from manic to calm in a blip, super impressive.I found myself throughout this wanting to believe that Prot was actually from K-Pax. And there's a bit of a mystery involved as Bridges tries to find clues as to his real identity, where is he from, what happened to him, How does he know all the science/universe stuff he does?
Towards the end Prot sets himself a time to return to K-Pax, promising to take one of the patients with him and so he does...This is one of those science fiction based on reality types of movies which can be tricky to pull off and I'm not really sure this works as its neither sci-fi or drama but I will say that I was affected by the end and left with questions which means I'm still thinking about it -always a good sign.
Prot (Kevin Spacey) is a patient at a mental hospital who claims to be from a far away planet called K-PAX.
His psychiatrist (Jeff Bridges) tries to help him, only to begin to doubt his own explanations.Apparently, at one point Will Smith was supposed to be Prot and Kevin Spacey was the doctor.
Smith is a bit of a stretch for the alien role (though he could do it), and Spacey is clearly stronger as the alien than as a doctor (though he is always great).What makes this film so good is that while the viewer believes that Prot is an alien, it is never definitely established.
Kevin Spacey gives a marvellous performance as Prot, an alien who has arrived from K-Pax, a planet a great distance from the earth.
Kevin Spacey or as I like to call him The Spaceman (witch ironically fits well for this movie) gives another  brilliant heartfelt performance in K-PAX.
Fairly funny, a few chunks of heart-tugging, and very solid if not mindboggling performances by Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, this movie gives one a bit to think about.
His body language, down to the look in often shielded eyes, and tone of his voice are note perfect and confirm the genius behind the man whose choices since American Beauty seem questionable at best.Whilst K-PAX bears superficial similarities to Brian Singer's seminal crime flick The Usual Suspects (we spend most of the film seeing Spacey spinning tales in an office) a far closer match is Don Juan DeMarco, where Johnny Depp's  claim to be the world's greatest lover (which I'm sure many women easily accepted) stirs life into Marlon Brando's cynical psychoanalyst.
It´s a shame that fine actors like Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges are used in this movie..
Prot (Kevin Spacey) is found at a train terminal acting strange and he ends up in a mental ward where Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) is his doctor.
You do find out just what Prot is and i appreciated that.Spacey and Bridges dominate this movie and are great.
Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) soon takes extreme interest in him, and even finds himself pondering if Prot is actually a supreme being from planet K-PAX, or perhaps he is only a forgotten human being with severe psychiatric issues.
It also made me rethink a lot of things in life and gave me a really good feeling.Also the acting is great (one of Kevin Spacey's best roles).
K-Pax is one of these movies, though it isn't perfect.Kevin Spacey plays a man called Prot, who is determined as mentally-ill for believing he is actually an alien from a planet named K-Pax. But after weeks of treatment, his story does not change and his case is brought to Dr. Mark Powell, played by Jeff Bridges.
While Prot seems to be curing his fellow inmates, Dr. Powell is getting nowhere near curing Prot.A touching tale of discovery, with excellent performances from both Spacey and Bridges, this is simply compelling to watch.If your a fan of Kevin Spacey, you simply have to see this film, but there is plenty to entertain most movie lovers, Spacey has made better films, but this is definitely worthy.8/10.
I'm an action movie guy and I don't really like dramas.But I do like science fiction and I found K-PAX to be engaging and not too melodramatic.Spectacular acting by can't fail actors Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges.
The movie is good and Kevin Spacey is performing great in the acting role till the end of the movie.
The plot is quite new and interesting, telling the story of a person coming from K-pax, the development of the story keeps the attention of the audience that wants to discover more about K-pax.In certain scene could remember a bit the great movie "One flew on the cocounest" but it develops in a different way avoiding to become a simple replica.For sure if you enjoy this movie you should watch "One flew on cocounest" as you will adore the movie and the acting of Jack Nicholson..
In K-PAX , Kevin Spacey plays Prot, a rather skuzzy-looking character who claims to be from the planet K-PAX which is located in an entirely different solar system.
Firstly, let's talk about actors : Kevin Spacey is Prot; Jeff Bridges is Dr.Mark; Mary McCorn is Rachel; Actors were chosen so good that film became popular among Americans and other part of world.
An alien who is going back to his own planet.And before that he needs to finish a Herculean task of changing human psychology of how you take your things.May be a doctor- patient,a wife-husband, a son-father or may be even inter-inmates- relationship - this film cleverly did not distinguish any human distinctions or any boundaries just the way our Prot did not know about any relation, families or even boundaries back home.There are no thrilling stunts, there are no aerial adventures, still it gets you clung to to your seat while you watch it just because it remained correct in one thing-there is still time to rectify the human errs, there is still scopes to make amends for the follies we make in our daily lives.We do not get to see what the people of K-Pax are like, but we realize what magic can human emotions do.Do we really need to be reminded of what the protagonists are capable of?
Prot is a man that is supposed to has a mental ill,but is he really mad ?,or is just an alien in a human body ?Kevin Spacey does to be veracious in his role and finally is near to convince even his therapist that he speak the truth.The storyline is very good,it is full of neologism and astronomy terms,even so the story is hard to believe but it brings in front of us a great actor,who deserves all the praises for his performances.I have found this movie very interesting it show a nice landscape of the universe who surround our earth and the end of the movie makes all the difference.It's not a masterpiece but it's a good choice to watch it..
Prot is taking for psychiatric evaluation at The Psychiatric Institute of Manhattan where Dr. Mark Powell (Bridges) takes care of the man and listens to his convincing stories and his quirky lifestyle on this planet.We are told "K-PAX" is in the Lyra constellation, which Earth has little knowledge of.
This only further makes the audience believes that Prot is being honest, but several instances in the film make us wonder if he's an honest alien or a very delusional mental patient who wants to believe he is from the planet.
Being heavy on the drama but very clear with the science fiction element, K-PAX is a thought-provoking and a completely genuine movie experience.Starring: Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary McCormack, and Alfre Woodard.
And that's one of the keys to this movie is believe or not believe.I was only familiar with Kevin Spacey in "A Bug's Life", but he was good in this movie too.I recommend this movie to those who want to see something that looks like a Sci-Fi flick but it's entirely different from what you'd see in an alien movie.
Portraying psychiatrist Jeff Bridges interviewing alleged alien Kevin Spacey, the movie gives us a new perspective on our own world.
Kevin Spacey was perfect in his role as Prot, and had me thinking right up to the end, that he indeed was from the planet K-PAX, especially when he draws the orbital pattern of his solar system.
One of the things I liked most in this movie was, except for his hypnotic state, Prot actually had a serious sound to his voice, as if an actual alien possessed Kevin Spacey's body.
Kevin has shown he can in multiple roles with different personalities and jeff's experience in the film industry has made me a superb doctor in this show.K-pax is quite a science fiction show with human touches in it in the sense that it touches about the possibility of Et creatures coming into ur lives and studying them for good or bad purposes.It somehow hints to us about our believe system where we can i either patronise it or show no scant respect for it .The best part of this movie is its complexity in which makes one so interested as the thought of who is he who is really Robert Porter makes one want o to sit down time and time again to watch it.I myself took several times before truly understanding it.
All I want is some decent, normal (human) entertainment and with a title like K-Pax, I was pretty sure that I wouldn't get it...This film tells the story of a mysterious man who claims to be Prot, coming from the planet K-PAX.
A good reason for that is of course because Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges are very convincing in their roles.
Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges star in this charming tell tale of a man, never seen before in New York City, claiming he is alien and from another planet in another galaxy, called K-PAX.
He is very smart, here, Spacey's Prot, and he knows so much about our solar system(and his) that one is kept believing until the final minute.I did not think I would like this film, but I do...very much.
It might just sound a lot like a X-Files episode (or a Outer Limits-story), but this is really good stuff!Kevin Spacey is portraying an man - named 'Prot', who is arrested and is taken to the mental hospital.
He is saying that he is really an alien from the planet K-PAX.Of course - nobody believes him much.His doctor Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges) first believes that he is just a hard case of a mental patient, but after some discoveries, he has his doubts about his real identity.
I happen to know a lot about astronomy, and there were some good scientific facts there - Things that are not evident in most Hollywood-movies.Great film with simple story and good actors.