Girl, Interrupted (1999) Dir: James Mangold
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This 1999 dramatic thriller, from director James Mangold, and based upon the memoir of Susanna Kaysen, has been on my watchlist for some time. It's a film I have often come across in film circles and on social media, and always seems to be a favourite. I wanted to form my own view.
The film really effectively created feelings of claustrophobia and disorientation, thanks to some very good editing and decent camerawork - especially in the first act. I also thought the soundtrack was rather compelling - I enjoyed the use of 'Downtown' in particular.
The film unquestionably romanticises mental health issues at times, though it also doesn't shy away from showing some of the so-called uglier aspects of mental health, especially for women. It's a difficult watch emotionally, particularly for those who may relate or empathise.
The narrative has a very solid structure to it, charting it's protagonist's journey, internally and externally, as well as some subplots, which were well-crafted. I also liked the comedic elements of the film, which felt pretty natural, and weren't used too frequently.
I thought that Winona Ryder provided a rather endearing and intriguing protagonist, as she often did at this time. She was at her best when her character was at her most volatile. She peaked at the perfect times, and had amazing chemistry with her main co-stars.
Angelina Jolie gave the most diverse and interesting acting performance I've seen from her. She was excellent. The impressive range and charisma she exhibited was testament to her sometimes underrated acting ability.
Whoopi Goldberg stood out to me, among the rest of the supporting cast. I thought she provided a down to earth, composed and satisfying performance, in which she provided a very solid base for the bigger personalities of the film to work off of.
Brittany Murphy, Elizabeth Moss and Clea DuVall didn't have overly major roles, but they performed them wonderfully, particularly DuVall and Moss, who were incredibly sweet. The film also features some smaller roles with performances worth mentioning, from the likes of Jared Leto, Vanessa Redgrave, Jeffrey Tambor, Angela Bettis, Jillian Armenante and Misha Collins.
Overall, I enjoyed the vast majority of this film, with only the slight nagging irritations about the romanticism of the mental health issues being a detractor. Beyond that, it's a very good film with a fascinating story and some strong acting. I can certainly see why it's so popular even now.
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