Girl, Interrupted (B or 3/4 stars)
Susanna (Winona Ryder) is depressed & aimless after finishing high school. And a suicide attempt (pills, alcohol) lands her in Claymore, a nearby institution. While there, she befriends a band of troubled women: Georgina (Clea DuVall), a pathological liar; Daisy (Brittany Murphy), an anxious girl with an eating disorder; Polly (Elizabeth Moss), a disfigured girl; and most troubled/sociopathic of all ... Lisa (Angelina Jolie). Not only is Susanna in there for depression, but at the time (1967), she was viewed as sexually promiscuous. Apparently, a 'sexually promiscuous' 17 yr. old girl was also seen as having 'borderline personality disorder'. Nice, huh?
And so, Claymore Institution it is. And before you know it, 2 yrs. have passed ... and she's still there. We're shown flashbacks to her pre-institution life (why she's there in the 1st place). But most of the plot involves her progress or destabilization IN the asylum; focusing on the relationships she establishes with her doctor (Vanessa Redgrave), her tough-but-loving nurse (Whoopi Goldberg), & her fellow 'inmates'. As time goes on, Susanna goes through subtle changes; on a path to self-discovery. Once angry, spoiled, selfish, & unkind, she is now clear-headed about the rest of her life (when & if she ever gets out). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for most of her friends. And in fact, most of the drama & trauma within the story rests in the volatile lives of these women.
I liked a lot in 'Girl, Interrupted'. Director James Mangold is successful in showing some of the more humane aspects of mental patients; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest this is not. And that's a good thing. Acting-wise, the film thrives. Winona Ryder is very good in this role. Though she's definitely unstable, she's not AS bad as some of her other friends (in the ward), and she's able to bring a balance of sanity & insanity. Even though I'm not a depressive, I felt her emotions; certainly in the beginning -- very realistic portrayal.
The other stand-out performance (and it IS stand-out) ... is Angelina Jolie as the electrically-charged, highly disturbed Lisa. Angelina has been providing intriguing performances for a few years now. But this is the 1st time that her talent could get recognized come awards season; she's THAT good. If there's a flaw in 'Girl, Interrupted' it's that the climax (so to speak) becomes histrionic; as if something big & crazy had to happen in order to remind us that this IS a movie about mental patients. It was a disingenuous moment in an otherwise genuine film. Overall: very good movie.
And so, Claymore Institution it is. And before you know it, 2 yrs. have passed ... and she's still there. We're shown flashbacks to her pre-institution life (why she's there in the 1st place). But most of the plot involves her progress or destabilization IN the asylum; focusing on the relationships she establishes with her doctor (Vanessa Redgrave), her tough-but-loving nurse (Whoopi Goldberg), & her fellow 'inmates'. As time goes on, Susanna goes through subtle changes; on a path to self-discovery. Once angry, spoiled, selfish, & unkind, she is now clear-headed about the rest of her life (when & if she ever gets out). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for most of her friends. And in fact, most of the drama & trauma within the story rests in the volatile lives of these women.
I liked a lot in 'Girl, Interrupted'. Director James Mangold is successful in showing some of the more humane aspects of mental patients; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest this is not. And that's a good thing. Acting-wise, the film thrives. Winona Ryder is very good in this role. Though she's definitely unstable, she's not AS bad as some of her other friends (in the ward), and she's able to bring a balance of sanity & insanity. Even though I'm not a depressive, I felt her emotions; certainly in the beginning -- very realistic portrayal.
The other stand-out performance (and it IS stand-out) ... is Angelina Jolie as the electrically-charged, highly disturbed Lisa. Angelina has been providing intriguing performances for a few years now. But this is the 1st time that her talent could get recognized come awards season; she's THAT good. If there's a flaw in 'Girl, Interrupted' it's that the climax (so to speak) becomes histrionic; as if something big & crazy had to happen in order to remind us that this IS a movie about mental patients. It was a disingenuous moment in an otherwise genuine film. Overall: very good movie.