Girl, Interrupted (1999)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

James Mangold

Writers (WGA):

Susanna Kaysen (book)
James Mangold (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Based on a true story

Plot:

Based on writer Susanna Kaysen's account of her 18-month stay at a mental hospital in the 1960s.

Plot Keywords:

1960s | Suicide | Suicide Attempt | Doctor | Nurse

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Winona Ryder	...	Susanna Kaysen
Angelina Jolie	...	Lisa Rowe
Clea DuVall	...	Georgina Tuskin (as Clea Duvall)
Brittany Murphy	...	Daisy Randone
Elisabeth Moss	...	Polly 'Torch' Clark
Jared Leto	...	Tobias 'Toby' Jacobs
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Dr. Melvin Potts
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Dr. Sonia Wick
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Valerie Owens, RN
Angela Bettis	...	Janet Webber
Jillian Armenante	...	Cynthia Crowley
Drucie McDaniel	...	M.G.
Alison Claire	...	Nurse Gretta
Christina Myers	...	Nurse Margie
Joanna Kerns	...	Annette Kaysen

Also Known As:

Durchgeknallt (Germany)
Durchgeknallt - Girl, interrupted (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and content relating to drugs, sexuality and suicide.

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:PG (cut) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:R (certificate #36459) | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Portugal:M/16 | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:16+ (Québec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | New Zealand:M | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hanover, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

3 Art Entertainment

Trivia:

Claire Danes auditioned for the role of Lisa.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The girls in the hospital are shown watching The Wizard of Oz (1939) during the daytime. In the sixties the "Wizard of Oz" was only broadcast once a year around Easter and only during the evening. Since this movie takes place before the availability of the VCR there's no way they could have been watching this movie during the day.

Quotes:

Lisa: Hey Troch, what'a doin?
Polly: Nothing.
Lisa: Well, why don't you go in your room and do nothin'.
[waves are Polly with puppet, and Polly runs to room crying]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Degrassi: The Next Generation: Our Lips Are Sealed: Part 2 (#5.16)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Bookends

Outstanding performances

The absolute best thing about this film are the knockout performances by it's 2 main stars Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie though both characters (hence performances) are very different they stand out nonetheless. It seems to me to be somewhat easier to play a psychotic than to play a regular neurotic, so who really has the better portrayal of the two?

Brittany Murphy as "Daisy" shines in her scenes. She is a force to reckon with in her future film career.

James Mangold directed this film quite nicely from a very good screenplay; he managed to portray all these young women as young women in turmoil. No melodrama, no over the top sentimentality, just a frank peek into their tumultuous lives.

It is a heavy drama, so be forewarned! And a very moving drama at that.