Psychology in Movies

Fight Club (1999)Fight Club follows the story of an everyman character who is initially viewed by audiences as distinctively usual. Discontent with his day-to-day life he forms a recreational club with a soap maker he had recently become acquainted with. This hobby is a fight club, composed of men using the physical interaction as a means of escape from their mundane lives. As the movie continues, the men find meaning in the club and their comrades, and soon this group becomes more than its initial meaning.

The main character remains unnamed throughout the picture, but the circumstances of his life make him relatable to viewers. In exploring his journey, the viewer notices peculiarities in the character and his interactions with the supporting cast. By the end of the movie, it is realized that he is suffering from psychosis, particularly Associative Personality Disorder. The reality of the situation results in a mandatory reviewing of the entire movie with the awareness of The Narrators diagnosis in mind.

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Girl, Interrupted (1999)This 1999 James Mangold film, starring Winona Ryder is considered the breakout film for actress Angelina Jolie. The film, based on a memoir by Susanna Kaysen, follows Kaysen at a turning point in her life. The character and viewers delve into the experience of one womens stint in a psychiatric facility. One of the most discussed characters is that of Lisa (Angelina Jolie), Susannas roommate.Lisa has been committed to the hospital for eight years and is revered among the other patients. Lisa is a clinically diagnosed as a sociopath (or Antisocial Personality Disorder), which is classified as the failure to conform to social norms, impulsivity and lack of remorse among other symptoms. Lisas manipulation of the others and her numerous escapes from the hospital are congruent with her diagnosis and support her dangerous relationships and behavior towards other in the facility.

Psychology in MoviesBy Stephanie Bullen

Taking a look at movies with depictions of psychological disorders.

The Notebook (2004)A man in a nursing home attempts his hand at cheering up a fellow patient. He decides to read to her a book about a young couples romance. The movie parallels the relationship between the elder, new friends with the years shared by the young couple.The woman in the nursing home, who listens to the mans story, suffers from Neurocognitive Disorder due to Alzheimers Disease. Alzheimers is the most common form of dementia. It results in short and long-term memory loss. Eventually sufferers will lose control of the necessary body functions required for the maintenance of life. This specific diagnosis also includes cognitive decline and increased irritability and aggression.

Identity (2003)During a heavy storm, a group of strangers find themselves stranded at a motel. The group, consisting of people from all walks of life, find themselves unstable as members begin dying off. The killer must be discovered before they all lose their lives. At the same time, a convicted serial killer, in an attempt to avoid his execution, agrees to identify the details of his crimes.This film deals with a number of people put in a life-threatening situation together. Yet the main psychological point is in the convicted serial killer. This is a man who is severely disturbed and suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. This disorder includes symptoms of social and occupational impairment, along with disruption in identity.

Momento (2001)A puzzling thriller from the opening scene, Memento is a disorienting movie following a man attempting to obtain vengeance. Leonard relies heavily on current technology and cultural customs in an effort to keep abreast of his situation and finally complete the task that he has set up for himself. The viewer navigates the puzzles of Leonards ordeal as he himself is, resulting in the manipulation and ever morphing perspective of the plot.Leonard wakes up everyday with no recollection his recent past. Due to an incident in his past, he suffers from Anterograde Amnesia, preventing him from forming new memories beyond the time of his injury. Using a polaroid camera and his body as a memo pad, Leonard works to continue on a path that he never even remembers beginning. This movie delves into the notion that memories are more than pictures and words, they are composed of the interactions of the stimuli the brain accepts and interprets.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)This recent, award winning film, explores the Pat Jr. as he attempts to rehabilitate his life. Recently released from a mental health facility, after eight months, Pat is working at getting his life back together. Attempting to restore his marriage, Pat strikes a deal with a neighbor in order to talk to his soon-to-be ex-wife.

This is a film that depicts a number of characters living with psychological disorders. The protagonist, Pat, experiences Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorder. Bipolar I is the manic phase in which grandiosity, distractibility and decreased need for sleep are rampant. Bipolar II is the stage before or after the manic phase. This involves a disturbance in mood and character changes that are not drug induced.

A Beautiful Mind (2002)Based on the story of mathematician John Nash, A Beautiful Mind explores the life of a man with exceptional intelligence. As Nash discovers the pressures of working in a prestigious institution like Princeton, he begins to unravel. The mental decline that John undergoes begins to negatively effect his marriage, his career and his health. Nash suffers from schizophrenia. Schizophrenia involvesthe presence of delusions, hallucinations and catatonic behavior, among other symptoms. These distrubances must occur persistently over six months and cannot be the result of depressive or bipolar disorder.s