Films Illustrating Psychopathology Danny Wedding Mary Ann Boyd ...

242 Movies and Mental Illness
Sleep, Eating, Impulse Control,
and Adjustment Disorders
12 Monkeys (1995) Science Fiction/Suspense ΨΨ
Terry Gilliam film about a time traveler (Bruce
Willis) trying to save the world from a deadly
plague. Brad Pitt co-stars as a character with paranoid
schizophrenia. At times, the film seems to
take on a cinematic representation of a nightmare.
Behind the Red Door (2001) Drama ΨΨ
Keifer Sutherland plays a man dying of AIDS who
exhibits explosive anger.
Best Little Girl in the World, The (1981)
Drama ΨΨ
Good made-for-television movie in which a
psychiatrist treats a girl who is suffering from
anorexia nervosa.
Best in Show (2000) Comedy ΨΨ
A couple entering their beloved dog in a competitive
dog show continuously fight, and their fights
escalate in response to the tension and anxiety associated
with the show. They later cure themselves of
their “adjustment” problem by blaming their dog
for being self-deprecating and purchasing a new
dog who does not mind watching them have sex.
Bookies (2003) Drama ΨΨ
Three college roommates, obsessed with gambling,
secretly launch a “bookie” operation.
California Split (1974) Comedy ΨΨ
Robert Altman movie starring George Segal and
Elliott Gould as two compulsive gamblers. Not as
strong a film as The Gambler.
Casino (1995) Drama ΨΨ
Martin Scorsese film explores the mafia’s relationship
to Las Vegas and gives an inside look at casinos
and some gambling addiction. A strong cast
includes Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone,
and James Woods.
Center Stage (2000) Drama ΨΨ
A woman fights her way to the top role as a dancer
and performs well despite encouragement to drop
out. One dancer has bulimia and the portrayal is
accurate and well-done; however, the film is
clichéd and predictable.
around the casino as “the cooler” carrying bad luck
to successful gamblers by appearing near their
gambling tables. He is paying off his own enormous
gambling debts and appears to have given up
the behavior.
Deuce Bigalo, Male Gigolo (1999) Comedy Ψ
Rob Schneider takes a job as a male escort—one
of his “calls” is for a woman with Tourette’s
Disorder and the other is a woman with narcolepsy.
The latter falls asleep in the middle of her
bowling stride.
Dinner Rush (2001) Drama/Comedy ΨΨ
In New York City sits an upscale restaurant frequented
by high brow customers, self-centered art
critics, hoodlums from Queens, and casual customers.
One of the cooks has a gambling problem.
Elling (2001) Drama ΨΨΨΨΨ
Norwegian film about two men released from a
psychiatric hospital who must prove themselves
capable of coping with everyday life. One man
suffers from intermittent anger episodes. Oscar
nominee for Best Foreign Film.
Gambler, The (1974) Drama ΨΨΨΨ
James Caan plays a university professor of literature
who can’t control his compulsive gambling. One of
the best film portrayals of pathological gambling.
Godsend (2004) Suspense/Thriller Ψ
Highly disappointing film starring Robert DeNiro
as a genetics researcher cloning human beings.
He clones a child who begins to experience night
terrors, hallucinations, delusions, and murderous
behavior.
Good Thief, The (2002) Drama ΨΨ
Nick Nolte plays a junkie gambler.
House of Games (1987) Drama ΨΨ
A psychiatrist specializes in the treatment of gambling
addiction. Fascinating introduction to the
world of the con.
Hulk (2003) Action/Drama ΨΨΨ
Ang Lee converts the famous “Incredible Hulk”
comic series to film and in doing so creates a wonderful
representation of anger and intermittent
explosiveness.
Insomnia (2002) Drama/Mystery ΨΨΨΨ
Al Pacino stars as Will Dormer, a cop tracking
down a minor writer (Robin Williams) in a murder
Cooler, The (2003) Drama ΨΨΨ
Unlucky, depressed man (William H. Macy) walks
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)