Date: January 25, 2000
Cast:Susanna Kayson - Winona Ryder
Lisa - Angelina
Jolie
Valerie - Whoopi Goldberg
Director: James Mangold
When I saw the preview for this movie, two things crossed my mind. First off, it appeared to be a generation-X update of the classic One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, only with an Estrogen boost. Secondly, it carries the infamous "based on a true story" moniker which usually means that the events are based upon fact, but that creative license may have been taken regarding the facts and specifics. Having not read the book, I cannot fairly compare its translation, but I can say one thing. I certainly could tell that it was based upon a book. The characters speak in a language not commonly spoken, but often written. There are queries about fate and life, and overblown emotional wordings of things that could have been said much simpler. These seemed to bog down the movie, and take away from the realism. It is as if the characters are reading the book, and interpreting as they go along.
This is a powerful subject matter to tackle, and it is handled with kid gloves. It lacks the complete cutting power that a movie like this should have..i.e. running a knife over skin, instead of cutting deeper. The plot is fairly non-existent, a girl is checked into a mental hospital, even though she is not mentally ill, or is she. Girl, Interrupted is basically, a character study about how the system can supposedly make something appear that may not be there, and force you to prove to yourself that its not real. We spend the majority of the movie delving inside, and exploring her emotions, feelings, thoughts, dreams, and surroundings. This could have been such a better movie than it is, with a little more power, zing and realism.
In order for Girl, Interrupted to be successful, it needed a powerhouse performance from Ryder to set the stage, and strong supporting roles to maintain it. Unfortunately, Ryder is good, but not great. She is very good at expressing and showing her emotions, but a little over the top, and unconvinced when she is speaking them. Angelina Jolie however, is excellent, as the "bad girl patient." Her role could have been very stereotypically written, but Jolie injects that smoldering emotion and fiery passion into her character who looks far from glamorous, both inside, and out. Academy, please take note of her, if you haven’t already, she is one of the leaders in the new breed of Hollywood, that will lead it in this century. The supporting cast effectively fill in their roles as the typical mental hospital types. None stand out, but all fit perfectly into the flow of the movie.
Ultimately, Girl, Interrupted succeeds in telling a powerfully emotional tale that just never quite hits the mark, or grips you like it should. It tries, and sometimes succeeds in letting you feel the pain and frustration that life deals us. We can all kind of relate to Susanna, and the way she reacted to situations. Think about it, when you see it, would you be committed, looked at oddly, if you reacted the way you wanted to all the time, and were brutally honest about the situations' life dealt you. Kaysen is stating that she was a victim of the system, and she was never crazy. Look in the mirror, and wonder how society would judge your thoughts, if you acted upon them. There is a really good story to be told here, a story of overcoming, conquering, and realizing who you are, but a movie may not have been the best media to do that in. I recommend that you stay home, stick with the book, and wait for this one on video. There is no need to interrupt your lives quite yet to see this one. ($$ out of $$$$)
Agree? Disagree, Questions? Comments?
