Girl, Interrupted

Reviewer: Ellys Donovan

Director: James Mangold

Stars: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Goldberg, Jared Leto, Brittany Murphy

Released: 24th March 2000 (UK)

Certificate: 15

‘Girl, Interrupted’ is a dark drama starring Winona Ryder and with an Oscar winning performance from Angelina Jolie.

The film is based on writer Susana Kaysen’s account on her own personal experience of staying in mental institute in the 60’s.

The film follows main character Susana’s (Winona Ryder) journey of her time in a mental hospital. Susana is rushed to hospital after she takes a concoction of Aspirin and Vodka, but insists that she didn’t try to kill herself. Although she pleads with her family and therapist that she didn’t try to commit suicide they send her to the local psychiatric hospital, Claymore, where she is to stay for a couple of months. While at the hospital she meets some interesting characters including one girl that is intriguing to Susana, Lisa (Angelina Jolie).  Lisa is a sociopath who is frequently in and out of the hospital and is admired by the other patients at the hospital and has a well-known reputation. Lisa manages to get access to the medical records and finds Susana’s records where she is to find out that she has borderline personality disorder. The film follows Lisa and Susana’s rocky relationship and Susana’s self realisation on dealing with her mental illness.

This film is full of outstanding performances from all the cast, especially that of Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder, the relationship between them is very believable and works well throughout the whole of the film. The cinematography was stunning but what shone through more for this film was the dramatic writing. It is very well written; I think that this may be due to the fact that it is based on the experience of the writer herself. The 60’s backdrop and soundtrack also worked well throughout.

All in all this film is very uplifting and although can be quite dark at times is well worth the watch if not for the performances from the cast alone.