Running with Scissors turns 20 this week, and Ryan Murphy’s 2006 adaptation of Augusten Burroughs’ memoir still rewards a close look. The film follows Augusten’s mother Deirdre, who wishes to become a famous poet, and his alcoholic father Norman. By the time Augusten is a teenager, Norman has moved out and Deirdre sends Augusten to live with her psychiatrist, Dr. Finch, who becomes his legal guardian. Behind that plot, the credits, music and reception hide the kind of details fans save for a rewatch.
The real Augusten is on screen
In a mid-credits vignette, the real Augusten is seen sitting beside the actor playing Augusten. The same epilogue adds that the real Augusten wrote a book, a final nod to the memoir behind the film.
The soundtrack arrived first
The soundtrack was released on September 26, 2006, a month prior to the film’s release. It moves from Elton John’s ‘Bennie and the Jets’ to Nat King Cole’s ‘Stardust,’ and an adaptation of Telepopmusik’s ‘Another Day’ recurs as an underlying theme several times throughout the film.
Augusten was 14 in the relationship
After confessing to Natalie that he is gay, Augusten befriends Neil Bookman, Finch’s patient and adopted 33-year-old son. The two begin an erratic sexual relationship quickly after meeting; Augusten is 14 at the time.
Dr. Finch ran a confidence game
Consistent with a confidence game seen with the family of Neil—and with a 41-year-old patient who abused Natalie, and with young adult patient Dorothy Ambrose—Dr. Finch manipulates Deirdre into signing over her child support money to him.
Agnes handed over her savings
A few years later, the still-teenaged Augusten leaves for New York to become a writer. Agnes, with whom he has developed a caring relationship, arrives and gives him the money she has saved.
Critics split down the middle
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 32% approval rating, based on 135 reviews, with an average score of 5/10. The site’s consensus states: “Despite a few great performances, the film lacks the sincerity and emotional edge of Burroughs’ well-loved memoir.” Metacritic gave the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on 32 critics, and audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it an average grade of “C+”.
Bill Evans and Tosca recur
Three Bill Evans pieces—’Waltz for Debby,’ ‘Very Early,’ and ‘Re: Person I Knew’—are used in the film as well. The song playing in the ‘Stew’ scene is ‘d-moll’ by the duo Tosca from their album Delhi 9; this theme is repeated throughout the film.
The credits reveal everyone’s fate
Dr. Finch lost his license due to insurance fraud and died in 2000. Agnes went to work in a nursing home, Natalie earned a degree in psychology, Hope worked with her dad until his death, Norman re-established contact with Augusten before he died in 2005, and Neil was never heard from again. Deirdre remains estranged from her son.
Which of these did you catch first? Tell us your favourite Running with Scissors detail.
Facts from Wikipedia: Running with Scissors (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.