3 Movies that Accurately Show Mental Illness
June 16, 2022
3 min read
The best portrayals of relationship struggles, anxiety, and the search for meaning.
Written by Simon Spichak
This blog post is for all the movie buffs and cinephiles out there. Many movies from past decades have stigmatized mental health, used the concept for therapy for cheap laughs, and also created inaccurate portrayals of different conditions. In the last decade, there’s been a slew of indie films featuring well-developed characters dealing with mental health issues.
If you’re like me, then you like to unwind with a great film. I lived near an independent cinema for close to three years which exposed me to new movie studios, smaller films and diverse portrayals of various characters on-screen.
There are characters that I’ve found myself or have had friends begin to identify with, for the first time. It is so powerful to see accurate mental health representation in media. Here, I share some examples of films that go above and beyond in their portrayals of mental health.
Madeline’s Madeline (2018, Dir. Josephine Decker)
This film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and received heaps of critical acclaim for the portrayal of the titular character Madeline (played by Helena Howard). The movie is about a teenager named Madeline who struggles with her mental health and troubled home life. She joins a prestigious theater troupe where the director pushes and exploits Madeline so she can incorporate those personal experiences into the troupe. This leads to a lot of personal conflict between Madeline, her mother and the director of the dance troupe.
The Big Sick (2017, Dir. Michael Showalter)
The Big Sick is a romantic comedy starring Pakistani-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani. He falls in love with an American grad student named Emily but has to deal with cultural clashes due to his family’s traditional expectations. But after Emily becomes sick with a mysterious illness, Nanjiani has to navigate intercultural conflicts. The movie hits for anyone who has found themselves in a caretaking role for a family member or a loved one. It also has a great depiction of the interpersonal conflict many youth experience when they diverge from the traditional expectations their parents have set out for them.
Ghost World (2001, Dir. Terry Zwigoff)
This throwback cult-classic is a comedy about two friends, Enid and Rebecca, who are graduating from high school. After a practical joke where they respond to a newspaper ad written by a man seeking a date, their relationship begins to change. This movie is about growing up, finding meaning and the anxiety we face when we try to carve our own path in the world.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes, it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes, it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
