Girl, Interrupted (1999)
June 28th, 2007
Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie star as young women in a mental institution. Jolie, 24 at the time of release, stalks the set like a cougar, stealing every scene she’s in.
Ryder is good too, but in a more reflective part. Whatever happened to Winona Ryder anyway?
Plenty of big stars also appear in this, including Brittany Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Vanessa Redgrave, and Jared Leto (Claire Danes’ boyfriend in “My So-called Life”).
This movie feels a bit over-wrought, but it is evocative. I’m not sure about its premise, which is something like: Many young women drift into mental illness, but the ones who work hard and have a good attitude can snap out of it. In effect Ryder’s character is presented as dabbling in insanity, while the others are stuck there. Is this an accurate portrayal? I don’t know but I think it seems unlikely, and possibly offensive.
Still it is an entertaining film, a little dark, with plenty of good acting. I liked it and I recommend it, but I doubt if I’d watch it again.
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