a very strange time in my life sometimes
a character’s anguish paranoia
depression or madness simply jumps off
the screen welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’re counting down the top 10
movies that depict mental illness what
are you doing you threw the goddamn ball
into the fence right don’t mind if you
threw the ball into the fence there’s
nobody there this list we’ve assembled a
collection of movies in which mental
illness is central to the plot and which
show it in a nuanced way did you hear
that
Bianca just said that that’s why God
made her to help people number 10 The
Deer Hunter I can’t believe you guys
alright how am i doing this is not it
starring a plethora of great American
actors like Robert DeNiro Meryl Streep
and Christopher Walken this post Vietnam
War drama revolves around three Russian
American steel workers and their
memories of the war just come home
talk to me
seekers talk to me it also explores the
effects of post-traumatic stress
disorder or PTSD on the soldiers and the
people around them maybe you’ve got to
do it you don’t do it they’re gonna
throw you in a pit and throw you in the
pit you’re gonna die we find them in 60s
Pennsylvania as they try to lead normal
lives but they are unfortunately still
plagued by what they lived through while
serving their country you gotta listen
to me
you want to stay down here to die thanks
to its themes emotional performances and
original vision The Deer Hunter won five
Academy Awards including Best Picture
and Best Director as well as Best
Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken
krycek– black students get married a
couple hours I don’t know what even
doing we’re talking about hunting the
last time before the army the whole
thing it’s crazy
number nine Lars and the real girl hello
Lars
in this sweet indie drama Ryan Gosling
once again gets cast against type to
play Lars a lovable introvert with a
deep desire to connect to people but
with an even bigger fear of attempting
to calm down okay
now talking to the dog Shh okay I don’t
know
so instead he orders a sex doll and
gives it a name and a backstory uh her
name’s Bianca
does he have sex with her hey blast what
she’s four yeah ill if his concerned
family takes him to a psychologist who
suggests they treat her as real and the
whole small town soon follow suit oh my
no no no no no I mean pretend that she’s
real I’m not gonna do I mean I can’t I’m
just not gonna do it she is real along
with his delusions Laura’s mental
illness also has symptoms of schizoid
personality disorder which manifests
itself in his solitary lifestyle and
rich internal fantasy world yeah this is
my friend miss Grenier his new companion
Bianca is ultimately a tool to help him
overcome his emotional coldness and what
happened to him in the past Lars is one
of goslings best performances and the
movie itself earned an Oscar nod for
best writing the original screenplay
you know Bianca’s um a missionary
what was a missionary right sorry
because she was raised by nuns but now
she’s on a sabbatical so she can
experience the world isn’t that neat
number eight Benny and June hey baby
June’s on the phone again well tell her
I’ll call her back find out what she
wants it’s an emergency she says you’re
running low on peanut butter super
chunks if you’re a 90’s kid then chances
are that every time you hear the
Proclaimers I’m gonna be 500 miles you
think of this movie
I’m miles
Oh
Benny played by Aidan Quinn is the older
brother of the mentally ill Jun what’s
going on here jun mrs. Smail please
expect he is also her caregiver
following their parents accidental
deaths the siblings are soon introduced
to Sam a cinephile with an odd
personality who also happens to be
illiterate I’m Sam
so here despite Sam’s eccentricities and
Joon’s outbursts the two immediately
connect
essentially a romantic comedy about two
social misfits Benny and June was
definitely one of the few in this genre
for a long time while Sam and June’s
mental conditions may make them stand
out from society at large at least
they’ve got each other
number seven shine exercise yes I’m
fresh out into those lungs of yours
David because the weekend crash like
insects that I hear like grasshoppers
our next entry is a biopic about famed
pianist David Helfgott played by the
great Geoffrey Rush a child prodigy
Helfgott grew up with a father who
didn’t tolerate failure and who wanted
his son to be as highly competitive as
he was
at the age of 19 he is sent to the Royal
College of Music where he started to
exhibit manifestations of
schizoaffective disorder such bull which
opposes Wars was author just destroyed
everything really in his name after
winning the Concerto Competition things
get worse as health God suffers a mental
breakdown and subsequently spends years
in and out of mental institutions I knew
I find you here
I’ve been a naughty boy again heaven I
know I missed I have definitely noticed
it I think I have come on David am I
good into trouble I might I might get
punished for the rest of my life because
I’m flawed I’m although the film’s
accuracy is disputed the biographical
drama was a hit at the Sundance Film
Festival and won rush a deserved Best
Actor Oscar for his performance
number six melancholia I smile and I
smile you lying to all of us if you know
Danish director Lars von Trier then you
know his films are not the easiest to
digest although this next entry is
probably his most widely seen movie here
is evil we don’t need to create for it
starring Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte
Gainsbourg
melancholia revolves around two sisters
named Justine and Claire and follows
what happens during and after the
former’s wedding life is only on earth
and not for long although such a
seemingly happy event is occurring in
their family there is also tragedy of
epic proportions looming and this
tragedy comes in the form of a rogue
planet that may or may not collide with
earth I’m afraid
why not the film is essentially a
metaphor for depression and was based on
the directors own experience with it
particularly through the character of
justine number five Girl Interrupted ah
so what’s with that huh the next movie
on our list is about a female patient
named Susanna Kaysen played by Winona
Ryder
and her year-and-a-half stay at a mental
institution are you gonna watch France
so that’s why there’s so many fuzzy
legged women around here based on
kayson’s memoir the drama also stars
Angelina Jolie Elisabeth Moss Whoopi
Goldberg and Brittany Murphy
Kayson is hospitalized for attempting
suicide and is diagnosed with borderline
personality disorder uh I didn’t try to
kill myself that’s the kind of thing you
talk about in therapy honey not here
while at the institution she becomes
particularly infatuated with a
manipulative sociopath Jolie’s Lisa Rowe
who takes special pleasure in
influencing the women around her why is
all your shit on her bed
how are you doing Lisa although the film
received mixed reviews it is still
remembered for Jolie’s performance which
earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting
Actress number 4 Black Swan
it’s just trying to be perfect thank you
up next is a psychological thriller
about a ballerina whose ambitions make
her lose her mind
Black Swan revolves around a modern
production of the classic Tchaikovsky
ballet Swan Lake in which the director
wants to have the same ballerina play
both the white and black Swan
Natalie Portman is Nina who is the
favorite but she doesn’t quite grasp the
sensuality of the Black Swan at least
not the way newcomer Lili played by Mila
Kunis does he made me your alternate
because just in case
this makes Nina paranoid that she’ll
lose the part and she soon begins to
show signs of obsessive-compulsive
disorder delusions and an array of
eating disorders the film became a
surprise box office success and are in
Portman the Best Actress Academy Award
number three
silver linings playbook that’s OCD
that’s crazy what else to do something I
want my son to watch the game with me so
sue me now sit down come on I want you
to watch the game with me but this I’m
not superstitious our next entry was one
of the most successful films of 2012 and
showed audiences that Bradley Cooper
could be a serious actor too you have to
do everything you can you have to work
your hardest and if you do if you stay
positive you have a shot at a silver
lining
directed by David O’Russell the film was
adapted from the novel by Mathew quick
and centers on the life of Pat solatano
jr. a man who tries to piece his life
back together after suffering a mental
breakdown I mean people fight couples
fight we would fight we want to talk for
a couple weeks that’s normal
she always wanted the best for me she
wanted me to be passionate and
compassionate Pat was also treated for
bipolar disorder and upon his release
from the mental institution he moves
back in with his parents pay for the
game spent some family like that I can’t
look I’m ready to go what do you mean
done family time well you mean OCD
superstitious time come on your dad
needs a win help him out he’s later
introduced to the recently widowed
Tiffany played by Jennifer Lawrence cuz
that must have been
King crazy because I am so much crazier
than you before still the romantic
comedy drama was a success with critics
and audiences alike it was also one of
the first movies since Benny and June to
successfully mix romantic comedy with a
serious topic like mental illness
I mean Humanity is just nasty and
there’s no silver lining
wow that was a great synopsis number two
a beautiful mind and in a man this next
movie is a biopic based on the life of
mathematician John Nash portrayed here
by Russell Crowe new freedom
communicates to its agents to codes
embedded in newspapers and magazines
and that’s where you come in the film
focuses mostly on his life after he is
approached by the Pentagon to help them
crack the Soviet telecommunication code
what am I now spy eventually Nash
becomes obsessed with searching for
hidden messages and begins to think he’s
being followed peers have no choice in
many ways his paranoid schizophrenia was
probably fueled by his passion and
mathematical genius but the film was
criticized for misrepresenting his life
Jona schizophrenia people with this
disorder are often paranoid however it
was adored by audiences and won four
Academy Awards Jon exactly what’s the
difference between genius and most
genius quite a lot before we unveil our
top pick here are a few honorable
mentions
lift it up there is a storm coming
I don’t think I’m ready yet
dr. Wilbur it’s alright sweetie I’m
still here
olive um mmm
Uncle Frank didn’t really have an
accident what happened was he tried to
kill himself
mary-elizabeth I think you’re really
gonna regret that you know for haircut
when you look back at old photographs
oh go wash up and then help me clear the
table no that’s how I’m gonna put a
table number one One Flew Over the
Cuckoo’s Nest whoo change never hurt huh
ooh variety our number one choice was
based on the same name novel by Ken
Cassie and stars Jack Nicholson Danny
DeVito Christopher Lloyd and Louise
Fletcher well I have to disagree with
you mr. McMurphy
these men are members of the war just as
you are in this drama Nicholson plays
Randall McMurphy a man accused of the
statutory rape of a 15 year old girl who
was sent to a mental institution in
Oregon while there he notices that the
doctors are more focused on sedating the
patients than helping them become
healthy members of society again Jesus I
mean you guys do nothing but complain
about how you can’t stand it in this
place here and then you haven’t got the
guts just to walk out what do you think
you are for Christ’s sake crazy or
something hmm
the film remains a timeless cinematic
achievement in its telling of a story of
human courage and determination not only
in the face of mental illness but of
dictatorship to the business of this
meeting mr. Cheswick is therapy at one
in all five major categories at the
Academy Awards including Best Picture
and Best Actor for Nicholson’s
performance bracket look look
the chief put his hand up the chief put
us in enough lucky voting so do you
agree with our list my place is all
shared up now you want me to clear yours
what is your favorite film depiction of
mental
for more entertaining top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
you
a character’s anguish paranoia
depression or madness simply jumps off
the screen welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we’re counting down the top 10
movies that depict mental illness what
are you doing you threw the goddamn ball
into the fence right don’t mind if you
threw the ball into the fence there’s
nobody there this list we’ve assembled a
collection of movies in which mental
illness is central to the plot and which
show it in a nuanced way did you hear
that
Bianca just said that that’s why God
made her to help people number 10 The
Deer Hunter I can’t believe you guys
alright how am i doing this is not it
starring a plethora of great American
actors like Robert DeNiro Meryl Streep
and Christopher Walken this post Vietnam
War drama revolves around three Russian
American steel workers and their
memories of the war just come home
talk to me
seekers talk to me it also explores the
effects of post-traumatic stress
disorder or PTSD on the soldiers and the
people around them maybe you’ve got to
do it you don’t do it they’re gonna
throw you in a pit and throw you in the
pit you’re gonna die we find them in 60s
Pennsylvania as they try to lead normal
lives but they are unfortunately still
plagued by what they lived through while
serving their country you gotta listen
to me
you want to stay down here to die thanks
to its themes emotional performances and
original vision The Deer Hunter won five
Academy Awards including Best Picture
and Best Director as well as Best
Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken
krycek– black students get married a
couple hours I don’t know what even
doing we’re talking about hunting the
last time before the army the whole
thing it’s crazy
number nine Lars and the real girl hello
Lars
in this sweet indie drama Ryan Gosling
once again gets cast against type to
play Lars a lovable introvert with a
deep desire to connect to people but
with an even bigger fear of attempting
to calm down okay
now talking to the dog Shh okay I don’t
know
so instead he orders a sex doll and
gives it a name and a backstory uh her
name’s Bianca
does he have sex with her hey blast what
she’s four yeah ill if his concerned
family takes him to a psychologist who
suggests they treat her as real and the
whole small town soon follow suit oh my
no no no no no I mean pretend that she’s
real I’m not gonna do I mean I can’t I’m
just not gonna do it she is real along
with his delusions Laura’s mental
illness also has symptoms of schizoid
personality disorder which manifests
itself in his solitary lifestyle and
rich internal fantasy world yeah this is
my friend miss Grenier his new companion
Bianca is ultimately a tool to help him
overcome his emotional coldness and what
happened to him in the past Lars is one
of goslings best performances and the
movie itself earned an Oscar nod for
best writing the original screenplay
you know Bianca’s um a missionary
what was a missionary right sorry
because she was raised by nuns but now
she’s on a sabbatical so she can
experience the world isn’t that neat
number eight Benny and June hey baby
June’s on the phone again well tell her
I’ll call her back find out what she
wants it’s an emergency she says you’re
running low on peanut butter super
chunks if you’re a 90’s kid then chances
are that every time you hear the
Proclaimers I’m gonna be 500 miles you
think of this movie
I’m miles
Oh
Benny played by Aidan Quinn is the older
brother of the mentally ill Jun what’s
going on here jun mrs. Smail please
expect he is also her caregiver
following their parents accidental
deaths the siblings are soon introduced
to Sam a cinephile with an odd
personality who also happens to be
illiterate I’m Sam
so here despite Sam’s eccentricities and
Joon’s outbursts the two immediately
connect
essentially a romantic comedy about two
social misfits Benny and June was
definitely one of the few in this genre
for a long time while Sam and June’s
mental conditions may make them stand
out from society at large at least
they’ve got each other
number seven shine exercise yes I’m
fresh out into those lungs of yours
David because the weekend crash like
insects that I hear like grasshoppers
our next entry is a biopic about famed
pianist David Helfgott played by the
great Geoffrey Rush a child prodigy
Helfgott grew up with a father who
didn’t tolerate failure and who wanted
his son to be as highly competitive as
he was
at the age of 19 he is sent to the Royal
College of Music where he started to
exhibit manifestations of
schizoaffective disorder such bull which
opposes Wars was author just destroyed
everything really in his name after
winning the Concerto Competition things
get worse as health God suffers a mental
breakdown and subsequently spends years
in and out of mental institutions I knew
I find you here
I’ve been a naughty boy again heaven I
know I missed I have definitely noticed
it I think I have come on David am I
good into trouble I might I might get
punished for the rest of my life because
I’m flawed I’m although the film’s
accuracy is disputed the biographical
drama was a hit at the Sundance Film
Festival and won rush a deserved Best
Actor Oscar for his performance
number six melancholia I smile and I
smile you lying to all of us if you know
Danish director Lars von Trier then you
know his films are not the easiest to
digest although this next entry is
probably his most widely seen movie here
is evil we don’t need to create for it
starring Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte
Gainsbourg
melancholia revolves around two sisters
named Justine and Claire and follows
what happens during and after the
former’s wedding life is only on earth
and not for long although such a
seemingly happy event is occurring in
their family there is also tragedy of
epic proportions looming and this
tragedy comes in the form of a rogue
planet that may or may not collide with
earth I’m afraid
why not the film is essentially a
metaphor for depression and was based on
the directors own experience with it
particularly through the character of
justine number five Girl Interrupted ah
so what’s with that huh the next movie
on our list is about a female patient
named Susanna Kaysen played by Winona
Ryder
and her year-and-a-half stay at a mental
institution are you gonna watch France
so that’s why there’s so many fuzzy
legged women around here based on
kayson’s memoir the drama also stars
Angelina Jolie Elisabeth Moss Whoopi
Goldberg and Brittany Murphy
Kayson is hospitalized for attempting
suicide and is diagnosed with borderline
personality disorder uh I didn’t try to
kill myself that’s the kind of thing you
talk about in therapy honey not here
while at the institution she becomes
particularly infatuated with a
manipulative sociopath Jolie’s Lisa Rowe
who takes special pleasure in
influencing the women around her why is
all your shit on her bed
how are you doing Lisa although the film
received mixed reviews it is still
remembered for Jolie’s performance which
earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting
Actress number 4 Black Swan
it’s just trying to be perfect thank you
up next is a psychological thriller
about a ballerina whose ambitions make
her lose her mind
Black Swan revolves around a modern
production of the classic Tchaikovsky
ballet Swan Lake in which the director
wants to have the same ballerina play
both the white and black Swan
Natalie Portman is Nina who is the
favorite but she doesn’t quite grasp the
sensuality of the Black Swan at least
not the way newcomer Lili played by Mila
Kunis does he made me your alternate
because just in case
this makes Nina paranoid that she’ll
lose the part and she soon begins to
show signs of obsessive-compulsive
disorder delusions and an array of
eating disorders the film became a
surprise box office success and are in
Portman the Best Actress Academy Award
number three
silver linings playbook that’s OCD
that’s crazy what else to do something I
want my son to watch the game with me so
sue me now sit down come on I want you
to watch the game with me but this I’m
not superstitious our next entry was one
of the most successful films of 2012 and
showed audiences that Bradley Cooper
could be a serious actor too you have to
do everything you can you have to work
your hardest and if you do if you stay
positive you have a shot at a silver
lining
directed by David O’Russell the film was
adapted from the novel by Mathew quick
and centers on the life of Pat solatano
jr. a man who tries to piece his life
back together after suffering a mental
breakdown I mean people fight couples
fight we would fight we want to talk for
a couple weeks that’s normal
she always wanted the best for me she
wanted me to be passionate and
compassionate Pat was also treated for
bipolar disorder and upon his release
from the mental institution he moves
back in with his parents pay for the
game spent some family like that I can’t
look I’m ready to go what do you mean
done family time well you mean OCD
superstitious time come on your dad
needs a win help him out he’s later
introduced to the recently widowed
Tiffany played by Jennifer Lawrence cuz
that must have been
King crazy because I am so much crazier
than you before still the romantic
comedy drama was a success with critics
and audiences alike it was also one of
the first movies since Benny and June to
successfully mix romantic comedy with a
serious topic like mental illness
I mean Humanity is just nasty and
there’s no silver lining
wow that was a great synopsis number two
a beautiful mind and in a man this next
movie is a biopic based on the life of
mathematician John Nash portrayed here
by Russell Crowe new freedom
communicates to its agents to codes
embedded in newspapers and magazines
and that’s where you come in the film
focuses mostly on his life after he is
approached by the Pentagon to help them
crack the Soviet telecommunication code
what am I now spy eventually Nash
becomes obsessed with searching for
hidden messages and begins to think he’s
being followed peers have no choice in
many ways his paranoid schizophrenia was
probably fueled by his passion and
mathematical genius but the film was
criticized for misrepresenting his life
Jona schizophrenia people with this
disorder are often paranoid however it
was adored by audiences and won four
Academy Awards Jon exactly what’s the
difference between genius and most
genius quite a lot before we unveil our
top pick here are a few honorable
mentions
lift it up there is a storm coming
I don’t think I’m ready yet
dr. Wilbur it’s alright sweetie I’m
still here
olive um mmm
Uncle Frank didn’t really have an
accident what happened was he tried to
kill himself
mary-elizabeth I think you’re really
gonna regret that you know for haircut
when you look back at old photographs
oh go wash up and then help me clear the
table no that’s how I’m gonna put a
table number one One Flew Over the
Cuckoo’s Nest whoo change never hurt huh
ooh variety our number one choice was
based on the same name novel by Ken
Cassie and stars Jack Nicholson Danny
DeVito Christopher Lloyd and Louise
Fletcher well I have to disagree with
you mr. McMurphy
these men are members of the war just as
you are in this drama Nicholson plays
Randall McMurphy a man accused of the
statutory rape of a 15 year old girl who
was sent to a mental institution in
Oregon while there he notices that the
doctors are more focused on sedating the
patients than helping them become
healthy members of society again Jesus I
mean you guys do nothing but complain
about how you can’t stand it in this
place here and then you haven’t got the
guts just to walk out what do you think
you are for Christ’s sake crazy or
something hmm
the film remains a timeless cinematic
achievement in its telling of a story of
human courage and determination not only
in the face of mental illness but of
dictatorship to the business of this
meeting mr. Cheswick is therapy at one
in all five major categories at the
Academy Awards including Best Picture
and Best Actor for Nicholson’s
performance bracket look look
the chief put his hand up the chief put
us in enough lucky voting so do you
agree with our list my place is all
shared up now you want me to clear yours
what is your favorite film depiction of
mental
for more entertaining top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
you
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