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We come to bury Freud, not to praise him: A film review of Freud's Last Session, directed by Matt Brown, starring Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode, and Liv Lisa Fries (2023).

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Title: We come to bury Freud, not to praise him: A film review of Freud's Last Session, directed by Matt Brown, starring Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode, and Liv Lisa Fries (2023).
Authors: Willoughby, Roger (AUTHOR)
Source: International Forum of Psychoanalysis. Jun2026, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p185-189. 5p.
Subjects: Historical errors, Freud, Sigmund, 1856-1939, Screenwriters, Psychoanalysis, Filmmaking, Film reviewing, Philosophers, Hopkins, Anthony, 1937-, Self-deception, Psychoanalysts
Abstract: The article critically examines the 2024 film *Freud's Last Session*, which dramatizes a fictionalized meeting between Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis shortly before World War II. While the film is based on a 2009 stage play inspired by Armand Nicholi’s book *The Question of God*, it introduces significant historical inaccuracies and distortions, including misrepresentations of Freud’s health, relationships, and the identity of the Oxford academic visitor (who was actually Isaiah Berlin, not Lewis). The film’s portrayal of Freud as petty, homophobic, and controlling contrasts sharply with historical evidence and contributes to reinforcing negative stereotypes about Freud and psychoanalysis. The article warns that such fictionalized depictions, especially when endorsed by reputable institutions, risk misleading audiences and perpetuating misinformation about Freud’s life and work. [Extracted from the article]
Copyright of International Forum of Psychoanalysis is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: We come to bury Freud, not to praise him: A film review of Freud's Last Session, directed by Matt Brown, starring Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode, and Liv Lisa Fries (2023).
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Historical+errors%22">Historical errors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Freud%2C+Sigmund%2C+1856-1939%22">Freud, Sigmund, 1856-1939</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Screenwriters%22">Screenwriters</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychoanalysis%22">Psychoanalysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Filmmaking%22">Filmmaking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Film+reviewing%22">Film reviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Philosophers%22">Philosophers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hopkins%2C+Anthony%2C+1937-%22">Hopkins, Anthony, 1937-</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-deception%22">Self-deception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychoanalysts%22">Psychoanalysts</searchLink>
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  Data: The article critically examines the 2024 film *Freud's Last Session*, which dramatizes a fictionalized meeting between Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis shortly before World War II. While the film is based on a 2009 stage play inspired by Armand Nicholi’s book *The Question of God*, it introduces significant historical inaccuracies and distortions, including misrepresentations of Freud’s health, relationships, and the identity of the Oxford academic visitor (who was actually Isaiah Berlin, not Lewis). The film’s portrayal of Freud as petty, homophobic, and controlling contrasts sharply with historical evidence and contributes to reinforcing negative stereotypes about Freud and psychoanalysis. The article warns that such fictionalized depictions, especially when endorsed by reputable institutions, risk misleading audiences and perpetuating misinformation about Freud’s life and work. [Extracted from the article]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of International Forum of Psychoanalysis is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/0803706X.2025.2476414
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 5
        StartPage: 185
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Historical errors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Freud, Sigmund, 1856-1939
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Screenwriters
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychoanalysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Filmmaking
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Film reviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Philosophers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hopkins, Anthony, 1937-
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self-deception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychoanalysts
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: We come to bury Freud, not to praise him: A film review of Freud's Last Session, directed by Matt Brown, starring Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode, and Liv Lisa Fries (2023).
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 35
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