The crazy thing is, you’re not crazy.
In the turbulent 1960’s everyone gains enlightenment, be it through drugs, protest, or sex. Everyone, it seems, except Susanna Kaysen. She’s just graduated her east coast high school only to find herself on an extended stay at a mental institution. James Mangold’s 1999 movie captures the thin line between normalcy and insanity at the heart of the author’s 1993 memoir Girl, Interrupted.
Susanna (Winona Ryder) gets classified as having a borderline personality disorder. Her rough patch is nothing compared to sometimes resident sociopath Lisa Rowe (Angelina Jolie). Other patients in the ward include a burn victim, an anorexic, and a lesbian. The role of Daisy Randone (played by the late Brittany Murphy) paints a sad picture of the impact of sexual abuse. Finally, the resident nurse, Valerie Evans (Whoopi Goldberg) shows the necessity of a humanizing touch when dealing with mental instability.
At one point during Susanna’s 18-month stay, her boyfriend Toby (Jared Leto, lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars) comes for a visit. He’s about to leave for Canada so he can dodge the draft. Susanna refuses to run off with him, but they do get to spend a few moments together thanks to Lisa.
As one of the nurses walks the hall doing checks, Lisa wheels her chair in the nurse’s path. The conversation quickly escalates.
“Take one f**ing step and I’ll jam this into my aorta. Go ahead.”
Nurse Valerie leaves her desk and approaches. “Lisa, your aorta is in your chest.”
Lisa retracts the tip of the pen from her throat and lowers it. “Good to know.”
Many of the scenes take place in palely lit corridors which effectively heightens the sense of otherness that all of us feel, not just girls in an upscale mental ward. The constant play between perception and who is doing the perceiving makes this film well worth the watch.
As with the book, the movie is still told from Susanna’s point of view. However, Lisa’s character practically steals the show. Indeed, Jolie won an Academy Award, Gold Globe, and Screen Actors Guild award for her role as best supporting actress. Book to movie differences aside (Susanna and Lisa do not run away from the institution in the book) the film stands well enough on its own. Susanna Kaysen’s sparse prose and keen observations deserve the read.
Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the 60′s. Or maybe I was just a girl… interrupted.
4.25/5.0 Stars (“Really Liked It”)
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It’s weird, I thought about this movie often lately and I don’t know why. I only saw the movie and thought it was great. All the roles were well played and the girls struggled between normalcy and their underlining problems.
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I’d say it’s probably one of my favorite Angelina Jolie movies. I don’t usually gravitate towards her roles, but she did such a great job with the role of Lisa.
I have not read the book but I have seen the movie. It’s been a while but I think I thought was good.
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The prose is almost haunting. It’s too bad the movie can’t capture that aspect.
I have seen the move and I loved it. What I loved about the movie where the challenges and lessons she learned in her journey. The book, per your review, sounds like something I would enjoy.
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The book is quite clever and very efficiently written. I’ve been thinking about re-reading it again.
I actually haven’t read the book or seen the movie but have definitely heard of it. Based on your write-up, it sounds like a movie worth seeing!
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I would also hedge my bets that an audio version of the author reading the book would be quite satisfying. There’s a poetic quality to both the book and movie that really appeals to me.
I had to recently watch the film and read the book for my film class. The book and movie are completely different. Being that they are both god awful, anyone who has seen the movie but has not read the book should not post about it. Susanna Kaysen has been quoted saying that the she despises the movie and even more so the book does not have a linear plot. It is a memoir . Anyways do not watch this movie it is horrible. Watch Game of Thrones if you have nothing else to do
Siri, thanks for stopping by and sharing your opinion. I beg to differ as I feel both the book and movie contain literary merit. It’s no surprising that Kaysen does not like the movie, as the page to screen transition must be pretty overwhelming for an author.