Films Illustrating Psychopathology Danny Wedding Mary Ann Boyd ...

Appendix G: Films Illustrating Psychopathology 241
Of Mice and Men (1992) Drama ΨΨΨ
John Malkovich as Lenny, a farmhand with mental
retardation. This is a wonderful film, but see the
1939 original as well.
“He’s a nice fella. Guy don’t need
no sense to be a nice fella.”
A comment about
Lenny’s personality
in Of Mice and Men
Other Sister, The (1999) Drama ΨΨ
Carla (Juliette Lewis), after spending her adolescent
years at a special institution, is determined to
move away from home, become independent, and
develop her relationship with her boyfriend
(Giovanni Ribisi). Both Lewis’ and Ribisi’s characters
would probably be diagnosed with mild mental
retardation and the film uses stale stereotypes to
define these two characters.
Radio (2003) Drama ΨΨΨ
Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a mentally challenged
man who when given a chance by the coach (Ed
Harris) of the local football team, inspires and
influences many lives. With regard to the portrayal
of disabilities, the pros outweigh the cons in this
heart-warming, true story.
“I know you’re in there
somewhere.”
Charlie Babbitt responds
to his brother Raymond
in Rain Man
Rain Man (1993) Drama ΨΨΨΨ
Dustin Hoffman plays an autistic man who is also
a savant, initially exploited by an older brother.
Hoffman read widely about autism and worked
with autistic people when preparing for this role.
Sling Blade (1996) Drama ΨΨΨΨΨ
Billy Bob Thornton wrote the screenplay, directed
the film, and played the lead in this remarkable
film, which examines the life of a 37-year-old
man with mental retardation who has been incarcerated
in a mental hospital for the past 25 years
after killing his mother and her lover. The fact
that Childers winds up committing a third murder
after being released perpetuates the myth
that people who have mental retardation are
potentially dangerous.
“I reckon I got no reason to kill
no one. Uh, huh.”
Carl Childers in
Sling Blade
There’s Something About Mary (1998)
Comedy ΨΨ
Ted (Ben Stiller) tries to track down and rekindle
love with Mary (Cameron Diaz). Mary has a brother
with a developmental disability who plays a significant
role in the story.
Tim (1979) Drama ΨΨ
In this Australian film, an older woman has an
affair with a man with mild mental retardation.
Unforgotten: 25 Years After Willowbrook (1996)
Documentary ΨΨΨΨΨ
Geraldo Rivera follows up on the original
Willowbrook State School expose and contrasts the
grim reality of institutional life with the current
success of some survivors, including Bernard
Carabello, a man abandoned by his parents at age
three because he had cerebral palsy, who spent 18
years at Willowbrook.
Village, The (2004) Drama/Suspense ΨΨ
Director M. Night Shyamalan’s latest “surprisegenre”
film about a village surrounded by forest
containing the highly feared “those we don’t speak
of.” Adrian Brody’s character is a purposefully
stereotypic portrayal of a developmental disability—the
“village idiot.” The least powerful of
Shyamalan’s four films.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Drama ΨΨΨ
Johnny Depp stars in this interesting portrayal of
the dynamics of a rural Iowa family and small
town America. Depp’s life revolves around the
care of his brother (who has mental retardation)
and his morbidly obese mother.
From: Wedding, D., Boyd, M.A., & Niemiec, R.M. Movies and Mental Illness: Using Films to Understand Psychopathology
© 2005 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers (www.hogrefe.com)