Top 7 Movies about Mental Illness | by Marissa Katrin Maldonado

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By Marissa Katrin Maldonado

Hollywood has created many different movies depicting mental illness, to varying degrees of accurately representing the actual mental health disorder itself.  Some of its most popular movies feature a blend of a mentally ill character with horror, such as Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” adding terror to the mix.  Some movies, such as “Frances,” (1982) about the life of actress Frances Farmer whose alcoholism led to a mental breakdown, took us inside a psychiatric hospital where the viewer watched in horror as the character receive a lobotomy.

The difficulty in portraying sensitive subject matter like mental illness is in avoiding caricature while still depicting the reality of mental health disorders and the treatment of them.  The temptation a scriptwriter and director might have is to go for the shock value or to exaggerate the reality of mental illness.  There is also the tendency to use mental illness as the basis for comedy, as in “Me, Myself & Irene” or “What About Bob.”

With so many movies that revolve around mental illness to pick from, here are seven of the best.  The authentic depictions of the characters, either the main character or supporting characters, who live with a mental illness, are cinematic standouts:

1.                One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975).  This stand alone classic that took home five Academy Awards features Mac (Jack Nicholson), a non-conformist criminal who was admitted to a mental institution to avoid prison.  The movie depicts the abusive reality of the psychiatric hospitals in the 1960s, epitomized by the cruel Nurse Rached (Louise Fletcher).  It was the power struggle between Mac and Nurse Rathed that became the plot driver, as well as a wake up call regarding what can take place when one is at the mercy of a state mental institution. The supporting cast exhibited various mental health disorders, such as paranoia, phobia, psychosis, and more.

2.               A Beautiful Mind (2001).  This movie was based on the life of mathematical genius John Forbes Nash, Jr., and won four Academy Awards.  John Nash (Russell Crowe) was a brilliant mathematician who eventually won the Nobel Prize in 1994, but suffered from psychotic hallucinations and delusions that had him imagining he was being used by the government to thwart a Soviet plot by uncovering a secret code found in the patterns within newspaper print articles.  After hospitalization and insulin shock therapy sessions, he struggled to live with the effects of the psych meds while finally saying goodbye the characters he had imagined.

3.               Silver Linings Playbook (2012).  This movie follows Pat (Bradley Cooper) in the days following his eight-month stay in a mental institution. Pat suffers from bipolar disorder and attempts to reintegrate into society first by staying with his parents.  Pat exhibits unpredictable behaviors, such as violent outbursts, which was one reason he was hospitalized.  In the move Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who suffers from depression following her husband’s death.  Together Pat and Tiffany focus on an upcoming dance contest as a vehicle for healing and gaining a renewed sense of self-worth.

4.               Girl Interrupted (1999).  This movie is based on Susanna Kaysen’s memoir as a resident of a mental institution in the 1960s.  While the movie is just average, the performances of the two main characters are memorable for a realistic depiction of their disorders. Susanna (Winona Ryder) suffers from borderline personality disorder and has attempted suicide, and Lisa (Angelina Jolie) is a long-time resident who is considered a sociopath.  The movie provides an inside glimpse into the workings of mental institutions of the era.

5.               What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993).  This drama depicts the lives of a family in the Midwest with several mental health issues present.  The movie revolves around Gilbert (Johnny Depp), whose father has committed suicide.  After her husband hung himself, the mother develops depression and a severe eating disorder.  The brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCapprio) has a mental disability.  The movie explores how family members adapt when one or more of them are suffering from a mental health disorder.  The mother eventually dies due to her morbid obesity.

6.               The Fisher King (1991).  In this movie radio DJ, Jack (Jeff Bridges), is suffering from depression and alcoholism after his irresponsible on-air comments prompted a murder-suicide in New York City, and attempts suicide.  However, a homeless man named Parry (Robin Williams) thwarted the suicide. Parry, formerly Henry Sagan, was suffering from PTSD and catatonia after the death of his wife, and in his deluded state believes he is on a mission to find the Holy Grail.  It turns out that his wife was one of the victims of the mass murder instigated by Jack’s radio show comments.  Jack spends the rest of the movie trying to redeem himself, helping to introduce Parry to considering a new romantic interest, and helping him retrieve the “Grail.”  This movie takes a compassionate approach toward mental illness and how to treat someone who is suffering.

7.               Memento (2000).  This thriller uses an unusual cinematic style throughout, where two different versions of a scene are depicted, one backward, to give the audience a sense of how it feels to live with a mental illness.  The main character, Leonard (Guy Pearce) suffers from anterograde amnesia, a permanent condition that basically stops the memory from making new memories after the time of the brain injury or traumatic event.  Leonard, stuck in a perpetual present, tries to find his wife’s murderer by using Polaroid photos, notes, and tattoos to patch a memory together.

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About the Author

Marissa Katrin Maldonado has been working in the behavioral healthcare industry for over 13 years. She is the founder of The Treatment Specialist, a national online resource for adults and teens who are seeking treatment for mental health conditions such as rehab for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and trauma. Dedicated to guiding individuals to the help they seek, Marissa believes that with the right support and guidance, those struggling will have the opportunity to turn their lives around and enjoy a healthy and happy life. She is a proud mother and wife and enjoys long distance running, traveling, and music.

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More about The Treatment Specialist: It is an online resource for for information on mental health and treatment options. The Treatment Specialist provides articles for adults, teens and families who are seeking rehabilitation from addiction conditions, dual diagnosis, mental health conditions, rehab for depression and eating disorders.

Visit them here: http://thetreatmentspecialist.com/