5 Psychology Movies You Must Watch
There are a handful of movies that bring psychology to the forefront. Here are 5 psychological movies that you need to check out.
It is often said that art imitates life. Be it paintings or movies, they are all, to an extent, rooted in our realities. Yet in today’s landscape, movies are consumed far more than paintings or even books, to the point that movies have become an integral part of our lifestyle. In fact, our last week’s article looks into just how movies influence our lives.
However, the number of movies that focus on mental health well-being or illnesses are quite limited in comparison to the number of action thrillers or rom-coms out there. So if you are looking for articles that suggest movies which have Psychology or mental health illness as their primary focus, look no further. I have put together my top 5 movies that explore the various different dimensions of Psychology.
Shortcuts For The Busy Reader
5 Must-See Psychology Movies
a. Girl, Interrupted
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Muphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Elizabeth Moss, Angela Bettis, Vanessa Redgrave and Jared Leto
Based on Susanna Kaysen’s memoir, Girl, Interrupted takes us on a journey of Kaysen’s short stint at an institution after having nearly overdosed on sleeping pills and alcohol. Here she comes across various individuals from the kind Chief Nurse, Valerie to the charming sociopath Lisa, who encourages the other patients to rebel against the staff. The one thing that is made clear is Kaysen’s borderline personality disorder is nowhere as severe as her fellow patients. The story then delves into her 18-month stay at the institution.
Although I did find myself getting distracted at times, the movie gives us an inside look at how oppressive and morally subjective mental health services were during the 60s. Take for example a scene that shows a glimpse of a session with her therapist where they contend over the definition of promiscuity, with Kaysen pointing out that women tend to be labelled promiscuous even with much less sexual experience than men, while men are labelled ‘virile’. Something that women are subject to in many societies, even to this day. The movie’s portrayal of Kaysen’s experience also brings forth how the weight of societal expectations can unravel many individuals pushing them to the brink of “insanity”.
b. Inside Out
Director: Pete Docter
Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan
Animated movies often stretch our imaginations by exploring stories that are often not that rooted in reality. Yet Inside Out, unlike other animated movies, looks into our minds. Although the movie revolves around 11-year-old Riley, the story is told from the perspective of the 5 core human emotions: joy, anger, sadness, anger and disgust. Each of these emotions take control of her actions throughout the movie until the family shifts to a new place which leads to Riley experiencing a major depressive episode. However, at one point sadness converts a happy memory into a sad one and as happiness tries to solve it, they let loose all of Riley’s core memories, leading them to work towards gaining them back before time runs out.
Though at times the complexity of human emotions are simplified, it highlights the impracticality of forced optimism, always seeking to find the bright side of any situation. It is ok not to see the bright side of things right away and Inside Out beautifully portrays that it is ok to feel other emotions than happiness and to embrace our vulnerabilities instead of repressing them which can ultimately have adverse consequences in the long term.
c. Taare Zameen Par
Director: Amol Gupte, Aamir Khan
Starring: Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan, Tisca Chopra, Vipin Sharma
One of the handful of Indian Movies that focus on mental health, Taare Zameen Par follows the story of an 8-year-old boy, Ishaan with dyslexia, a learning disability. The story highlights the trials and tribulations he faces in a society that fails to acknowledge his challenges let alone provide him with any support. Moreover, it also highlights the importance of having a support system, showing how just the mere knowledge of having someone in your corner can work wonders.
Other than having me bawling through most of it, this movie offers a fresh perspective of looking at mental health well-being within a South Asian context. It beautifully highlights the toll expectations to achieve ever-so-impossible standards can have on children, with or without a learning disability. Although some moments can go beyond the realm of practicality, the movie imparts a beautiful message about the hurdles children with learning difficulties experience, in a society that is still probably a little underprepared to provide support for them.
d. Shutter Island
Director: Martin Scorcese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max Von Sydow and Michelle Williams
Juggling problems of his own US Marshal Teddy Daniels and his partner travel to Shutter Island, a prison for the criminally insane, to investigate a missing patient. As they step onto the island everything breathes sinister be it the guards, the imposing structure of the prison or the penitentiary’s chief psychiatrist Dr Cawley. Moreover, Daniels’ migraines and disturbing visions, just add to the endless list of questions. Who is 67? How does a patient escape an impenetrable fortress without a trace? Or are the doctors and guards covering something far more sinister?
I found myself at the edge of my seat with chills running down my spine for all 138 minutes of the movie. Moreover, the movie has some of the best lines that make you think about how mental health services have been evolving over time. For example, one of my favourite lines is when Dr Cawley states that he has “a radical idea, that if you treat a patient with respect, listen to him, try and understand, you just might reach him”. Something so simple yet so profound that it makes you ponder. Shutter Island is a movie with many sharp turns, it can get tough to follow the plot if you lose your attention even for a brief period of time.
e. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Director: Milos Forman
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson, Danny DeVito, Sydney Lassick, William Redfield, Christopher Lloyd and Brad Dourif
One of the OG psychological movies out there, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The movie centres around the story of Randle McMurphy, who is transferred from a prison work farm to a mental institution for a short-term stay to be observed. His larger-than-life personality brings all kinds of disorganized chaos to the ordered structure of the institution often encouraging his fellow patients to rebel against the formidable character that is Nurse Ratched.
This movie had me hooked from the get-go, raising awareness not only regarding how mental health illnesses were treated back in the day, but also the many environmental factors that we, to this day, do not consider to have an effect on the prognosis of any mental health illness or even our mental health well-being. It is one of the few movies that I have come across that beautifully highlights how cultural differences can be overlooked and often can lead to misdiagnosing an individual. Although categorized as a comedy, I can guarantee you will go through a spectrum of emotions till the end credits start rolling.
These are some of the psychological movies that I have enjoyed watching that highlight various aspects of psychology be it mental health illnesses, societal experiences or even cultural differences. Do you have any favourites that are not listed above? Drop us a comment below and let us know about your favourite Psychology movies.
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