Spider

The film's slow, plodding pace relies too much on strong performances and grubby splashes of "atmosphere" rather than genuine emotion and plot.

This is one of the director's most accomplished films.

It's a pleasure to watch such an understated treatment of potentially sensational subject matter.

Cronenberg’s controlled direction and Fiennes’s mesmerizing performance make Spider a riveting portrayal of one fractured mind haunted by a painful past.

A film built around a predictable twist that Cronenberg seems ill-suited for. Fiennes delivers a decent performance, but most of the present-day scenes feel inconsequential compared to the past. Richardson's dual roles are the film's greatest asset

Cronenberg’s more internalized era doesn’t skimp on the devastating effects of self-destruction — in fact, it arguably finds them even more pronounced.

Fiennes delivers an extraordinary performance.