Feb '00:- Film
Girl Interrupted

Anticipation. I have to come clean about the fact that I have been waiting to see this movie for quite some time. Intrigued by the source material, and a fan of both director James Mangold (Copland) and actress Angelina Jolie (Gia), I wondered whether the movie would be another formulaic Hollywood treatment of the mentally ill. Pleasantly, the movie does not fall into that trap, but it also lacks any real drama or surprises. The movie is based on the true story of writer Susannah Kaysen's two-year stay at Claymoore (McLean Hospital, for those of you who've read the book.), an upscale mental institution in Massachusetts. After chasing a bottle of aspirin with a fifth of vodka because she "had a headache," Susannah, played by actress Winona Ryder, is sent off to the chichi mental facility as her mother looks on.

The movie takes place during the turbulent '60s, which we discern through interspersed shots of Vietnam protestors and talk of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-not to mention characters spouting lines like, "It's not you! It's the '60s!" Mangold has done a wonderful job of recreating the period, from vintage cars, to hair and costume during the segments in which Susannah is outside the mental institution. My one gripe during this pre-Claymoore sequence is that the first scene of the movie seems to be some sort of emotional fallout that occurs INSIDE the institution-complete with tears, glazed eyes, and characters hiding in corners. By the end of the movie we understand what has transpired, but I found it to be an uninspired choice for an opening scene.

Girl is not so much a movie about mental illness as it is about Susannah's journey from child to adult, from being a spectator in society to being a participant. We actually learn very little about any of the illnesses these girls have or how to cure them. The other occupants of the ward have varying problems. There's Lisa (Angelina Jolie), the beautiful, cunning sociopath; Polly (Elizabeth Moss), a girl who sets herself on fire; Georgina (Clea DuVall), a pathological liar who is obsessed with the Wizard of Oz and Daisy (Brittany Murphy), who eats nothing but rotisserie chicken from her father's deli. The characters sound fantastical and almost funny on paper, and you will probably find yourself laughing at some of their antics as I did, but after leaving the theater I had to ask myself if I was laughing joyfully or nervously at these girls. The supporting cast, which also includes Whoopi Goldberg as kind-hearted Nurse Valerie, a role she could play in her sleep, and Vanessa Redgrave as Dr. Wick, is well-rounded and provide three dimensional performances in roles that in less capable hands could've fallen flat.

What makes this movie worthwhile is the interplay between Susannah and Lisa. It is in the performances of Jolie and Ryder that Girl shines. The development of their friendship and its inevitable breakdown drive this movie. Ryder plays Susannah in a coolly, cerebral way. It is a very quiet, powerful performance and is, in my opinion, her best work to date. Lisa is the dark to Susannah's light. Lisa says what she wants, takes what she wants, commands, needs, hurts. There is nothing calm, cool or cerebral about her, not that we doubt her intelligence, but her intelligence is primal-that of a caged animal striving to survive. Her insights are instinct, not the product of learning. Angelina Jolie understands that and conveys it to the viewer. She is one of those rare actresses who BECOME her characters. You BELIEVE her. It is a stunning performance and deserves recognition.

With the exception of that opening sequence Mangold proves once again to be a solidly accomplished director. He and his team complement the institutional setting with some great camerawork. There are a lot of claustrophobic close-ups and shots of faces pressed against barred windows. Perspective has been used wisely in this movie to convey a feeling of enclosure.

Though it deals with the weighty issue of mental illness, Girl, Interrupted is not without its moments of laugh out loud humor. The scenes involving Lisa's cat hand puppet·well, let's say I'm thinking about getting one for myself (Watch the movie-then you'll understand.)! I'm recommending this movie even though it doesn't hold any real surprises, but the performances by the two female leads are worth the price of admission. So, go to your local theater and catch a showing of Girl, Interrupted, and form your own opinion. After all, as you know, critics don't know jack.