Girl, Interrupted is a film about mental illness dressed up as a character study, and it mostly fails at both. The 1999 movie, directed by James Mangold, stars Angelina Jolie as Lisa, a troubled young woman who checks herself into a psychiatric hospital after attempting suicide. Winona Ryder plays the lead, Susanna, whose troubled home life sends her down the same path. The supporting cast includes Elisabeth Shue, Clea DuVall, and Vanessa Redgrave, but the movie belongs to Jolie, who steals every scene she touches.
The problem is that the theft is not always a compliment. Jolie plays Lisa as a seductive, manipulative force of nature, and she is compelling in the role. But the film leans on her performance to carry emotional weight that the script cannot support. The result is a movie that feels less like a portrait of mental illness and more like a cautionary tale about bad behavior.
Trailer, via Oscars.
Susanna’s Home Life
The story opens with Susanna, played by Ryder, living with her parents in a suburban home. Her father is distant, her mother is overprotective, and her younger brother is a constant source of anxiety. The family dynamic is tense, and Susanna seems unable to escape it. She attempts suicide, and the film shows the aftermath of that attempt through a series of flashbacks and present-day scenes.
Ryder gives a committed performance, and her Susanna is believable as a young woman trapped in a situation she cannot control. But the film does not offer much insight into why Susanna acts the way she does. The reasons for her behavior are left vague, and the audience is left to fill in the gaps with their own assumptions.
Lisa’s Seduction
Lisa arrives at the hospital shortly after Susanna, and their relationship quickly becomes the center of the story. Lisa is confident, charming, and dangerous. She knows exactly what buttons to push, and she pushes them with a smile. Jolie plays Lisa as a predator, and the film treats her as a fascinating character rather than a cautionary figure.
The problem is that the film never asks the audience to feel sorry for Lisa. She is a victim of her own circumstances, but the film does not spend enough time showing us what those circumstances are. Instead, it focuses on her seductive power and the chaos she brings to the hospital.
The Other Patients
The other patients at the hospital are a collection of stereotypes:
- The promiscuous girl
- The religious fanatic
- The withdrawn artist
- The angry young man
Each of them has a label, and the film does not do much to peel back those labels. The patients are treated as objects of pity or amusement, and the film rarely gives them moments of genuine humanity.
The only exception is the character played by Elisabeth Shue, who is a nurse at the hospital. She is kind, patient, and genuinely concerned for the patients. Her scenes provide some of the few moments of warmth in the film, but even her character is ultimately defined by her relationship to the patients rather than her own identity.
The Director’s Approach
James Mangold directs the film with a steady hand, and the cinematography is often beautiful. The hospital is a large, institutional building, and the film captures its oppressive atmosphere well. The color palette is muted, with blues and grays dominating the screen. This is a film that wants to be moody, and it succeeds in creating a sense of unease.
But the direction is also rigid. The camera stays fixed on the characters, and there are few moments of movement or experimentation. The film feels more like a television drama than a feature-length movie. It is competent, but it lacks the energy that might have made it memorable.
The Music and Sound
The music in Girl, Interrupted is a mix of period rock and pop songs. The soundtrack includes tracks by The Doors, The Rolling Stones, and The Velvet Underground. These songs are used to set the tone of each scene, and they work well in that capacity. The music adds to the film’s mood, but it does not elevate the material.
The sound design is also solid. The hospital corridors echo with footsteps, and the rooms are filled with the hum of machinery. The film creates a world that feels lived-in, even if the world itself is not particularly interesting.
The Final Stretch
The film builds toward a climax that is meant to be cathartic. Susanna has a confrontation with Lisa, and the two women face off in a moment of truth. The scene is tense, and it is well-acted by both leads. But the resolution is unsatisfying. The film ends on a note of ambiguity, and it leaves the audience wondering what happens next.
This is a missed opportunity. The film had the chance to say something meaningful about recovery, but it chose to say something vague instead. The ending is a letdown, and it leaves the viewer feeling empty rather than fulfilled.
The Critical Reception
Girl, Interrupted received mixed reviews upon release. Critics praised Jolie’s performance and the film’s visual style, but they were divided on the script and the overall message. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at 5.3 out of 10, based on a large number of reviews.
That score reflects the film’s strengths and weaknesses. It is a well-made picture with a strong central performance, but it is also a film that avoids difficult questions and settles for easy answers. The movie is not a failure, but it is not a triumph either.
The Legacy
Girl, Interrupted has become a touchstone for discussions about mental health in popular culture. The film introduced audiences to the concept of borderline personality disorder, and it brought the idea of hospitalization into mainstream conversation. But the film’s portrayal of mental illness has been criticized for being overly simplistic and romanticized.
The film also helped launch Jolie’s career. Her performance earned her an Academy Award nomination, and it established her as a leading actress. Ryder also received critical attention, although her nomination was overlooked.
The Verdict
Girl, Interrupted is a flawed film with a strong core. Jolie is excellent, and the direction is competent. But the script is weak, and the characters are shallow. The film tries to be a serious exploration of mental illness, but it falls short of that goal.
The film is worth seeing for Jolie’s performance alone, but it is not a film that rewards repeated viewing. It is a product of its time, and it shows the limitations of the Hollywood approach to serious subjects.
| Scene | Setting | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Susanna’s home | Suicide attempt |
| Middle | Hospital corridor | Lisa’s arrival |
| Climax | Hospital room | Confrontation with Lisa |
| Ending | Hospital hallway | Ambiguous resolution |
The film is a product of its time, and it shows the limitations of the Hollywood approach to serious subjects. It is a film that is worth watching once, but it is not a film that deserves to be remembered fondly.
The film’s final score is 5.3 out of 10.
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