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Girl, Interrupted Customer Reviews (34 - 36 of 57 Reviews)

Extremely funny and emotional
Three elements combine to make "Girl, Interrupted" one of the most emotional and stupendous films ever made: a solid story, an intense and stressful setting and incredible acting by some of Hollywood's finest. Winona Ryder plays Susanna, who is being placed in a mental hospital after taking an entire bottle of aspirin with vodka. Her diagnosis, Borderline Personality Disorder, is never proved, but she spends one year of her life in Claymore Mental Hospital. While there, she befriends many of the residents, including the rebellious Lisa, played by Angelina Jolie. Throughout the course of her stay, as Susanna's friendships grow deeper, her will to escape becomes distant, as does her compliance with the rules of the institution. She soon comes to a realization that she must look inside of herself and discover what she truly wants: freedom. The story is based on the novel of the same name, written by the main character Susanna. Full of heart and emotion, it evokes several different fields of feeling: levity, heartache, sadness, and hope for the future. The performances by Ryder and Jolie, especially in the most harrowing moments of the film, will have you in tears. Though some consider the story to be too long, it holds its own as one of the best films based on a true story.

A compelling drama, that everyone can relate to.
This is an example of how a great film should be made. Interesting story, brilliant script based off a wonderful book, and, most importantly, deep characters with deep personalities, that everyone can relate to, wheather you are a boy or a girl.

The main character is played realistically by Winona Ryder. She is a lost soul trying to find her place in the world. Suicidal, she is put in a mental hospital where she makes many new friends (including Angelina Jolie, who deserved that best supporting actress oscar). She goes on a mental journey and figures out all the little things in life, that make it worth living. We have all gone through this, where we feel lost and we feel there is no way out. That's what makes it such a good movie, it means something different and special to each person who watches it. Plus, there is comic relief that doesn't hurt the drama and knows exactely when to come in and cheer us up.

The DVD features a 13 minute Documentary, deleted scenes, and a commentary. This is seriously one of the best films I have seen in a long time. Most Highly Reccomended.

Disfunction and Fragility
A serious drama on the subject of mental health which doesn't distort realism with the usual, predictable dramatic devices common to films of this genre. For example, the mental institution's staff are not the usual collection of ogres and idiots.

The two lead actresses play to their strengths in this movie as they are asked to display their essential qualities rather than stretch to new places that they probably couldn't attain. One might criticize it as type-casting but it could also be called intelligent choice. Switching roles would probably have led to a much weaker movie.

Winona Ryder is the fragile, unsure one who rises to a gutty, somewhat predictable decision at the end. Angelina Jolie is the controlling leader of the women at the institution who attracts her followers as well as the audience with her apparent brash fearlessness as she escapes and returns in a repeated pattern of disfunction and instability.

Jolie's performance has, indeed, set off a buzz around Hollywood, the likes of which is often a precursor to a highly regarded career. Look for her to be cast in multiple films in 2000. This girl has the searchlights of stardom splashed all over her. One hopes she will use it in carefully selected roles to establish herself in the higher levels of her profession. Her father's daughter. Jon Voight.

Whoopi Goldberg also stars in a supporting role that is well disciplined to the nature of the story.

The film, though good, would have increased its effectiveness had it not overdone itself by 20 minutes or so. No surprise it won Jolie a Best Supporting Oscar, however.

~~ The Filmiliar Cineaste

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