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K-Pax
K-Put or K-Pow?

Over the years I have seen a number of movies with delusional characters as the focus of the plot. Generally the story goes-delusional character comes along into a bored person’s life. Bored person becomes obsessed with delusional character. Delusional character is intriguing and we like him, or her. Then peril is imminent, usually in the form of a government agency. And finally the day of reckoning for the delusional character that results in either the character is revealed to be a hoax or the real thing.

In “K-Pax” they approach the ending a little more cleverly, and I emphasize “a little more”.

“K-Pax” begins in a transit center where a wheelchair bound homeless man sees what appears to be a man appearing out of nowhere. That man is Prot, (Kevin Spacey).

Prot had come to the aid of a purse-hijacking victim. When the cops arrive, predictably, Prot’s taken into custody when he pronounces he’s from another planet, etc, etc.

Now enter Jeff Bridges’ character of Dr. Mark Powell. Dr. Powell had been asked to take a look at Prot because of the convincing and comprehensive quality to Prot’s delusion.

Dr. Powell, after several sessions with Prot, realizes that Prot isn’t your run-of-the-mill, garden-variety delusional.

So Dr. Powell tries the obvious and that’s to get Prot to admit that he’s not really from a planet called K-Pax, by giving Prot some highly esoteric astronomy questions. And, logically when Prot answers incorrectly, or is unable to answer the questions he would have to face his ignorance and admit his earth bound humanity.

Well Prot answers all the questions correctly, including a couple that only a handful of Astronomers in the world could know. This deepens the mystery of course, but Dr. Powell is not persuaded.

During all this Prot has stirred up some excitement at the asylum by telling one patient he can cure him. Also announcing to rest of the residents that he can take only one person back to K-Pax when he returns.

So the date of Prot’s intended return to K-Pax is a hint, a sign to Dr. Powell. Dr. Powell then uses that date during some hypnosis sessions with Prot to solve the riddle of Prot’s delusion.

The ending doesn’t spell things out, however I believe that it was clearly evident what the makers wanted you to believe. And there is supportive dialogue to provide answers, if you are left scratching your head at the end.

For me the ending didn’t pay off as satisfyingly as say “The Sixth Sense” or “The Others”. I’m not saying that “K-Pax” is anything like those movies as far as genre goes, however they all present a mystery and then go for a clever ending.

Though-for some-the emotional devastation that’s presented is certainly compelling enough, however it cannot explain what I think is blatantly obvious. Therefore I wasn’t as moved by the ending as I know the makers of “K-Pax” would’ve liked.