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It isn't always easy to make movies about mental illness as they have to portray reality as truthfully as possible. The makers also need to ensure that they aren't either insensitive or demoralizing in the way they show these issues.
The film Turtles All The Way Down, which was released on Max on May 2, 2024, seemingly managed to find a balance in its portrayal of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Based on John Green's book of the same name, the movie had a mix of light-hearted fun and some serious moments.
Directed by Hannah Marks, the film stars Isabela Merced as 16-year-old Aza, who struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Owing to that, she feels that she won't have a chance to fall in love or be in a romantic relationship like her peers. However, things change, and she sees some hope when she reconnects with an old crush of hers.
Good movies about mental illness have the potential to leave the viewers with a sense of hope and Turtles All The Way Down manages to do that. Like the YA movie, several other movies about mental health illness have heartwarming or inspiring narratives.
Trigger warning: This article will contain mentions of attempted suicide, eating disorders, and other mental health issues. Discretion is advised.
Aftersun and five other movies about mental illness that are realistic and encourage much-needed conversations
1) Take Shelter (2011)
Take Shelter follows Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon), who is a devoted husband and father. However, he has dreams and hallucinations about a devastating storm that will hit his village. Following this, he is consumed with the need to prepare the storm shelter. The changes in his behavior start to threaten his ties with his loved ones.
Viewers can never really tell if the storm is actually real or if Curtis suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, a condition that his mother was also diagnosed with. The film shows how Curtis is struggling with a psychological disorder that he suspects he has.
Viewers looking for movies about mental illness should check out this film on Prime Video.
2) Infinitely Polar Bear (2014)
Infinitely Polar Bear follows Cameron Stuart (Mark Ruffalo) who has bipolar disorder and was fired from his job after a psychotic break. In an attempt to brighten their and their children's future, his wife, Maggie (Zoe Saldana) accepts a Columbia University scholarship. This means that Cameron would have to stay home and take care of their daughters while Maggie gets her degree.
Movies about mental illness like Infinitely Polar Bear give viewers an insight into mental health issues and the challenges that come with them. It also shows them how the families of people with these issues deal with them.
Infinitely Polar Bear, starring Zoe Saldana and Mark Ruffalo, is available to be streamed on Apple TV.
3) The Skeleton Twins (2014)
Sometimes movies about mental illness can take a dark turn, but The Skeleton Twins tackles a serious topic with enough heart and humor to give viewers hope. Directed by Craig Johnson, stars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as Milo and Maggie, twins who are estranged and haven't spoken in years.
However, when Maggie gets a call informing her of her brother's attempted suicide, the twins are forced to spend time together and work on their relationship.
Both Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are experts at goofing around as seen on SNL. However, in The Skeleton Twins, they bring the depth their characters, who come from a dysfunctional family, need.
Available on Netflix, this film is proof that movies with mental illness can have a touch of humor as long as it is done sensitively.
4) To The Bone (2017)
To The Bone is one of the few movies about mental illness that focuses on eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, to be specific. It follows 20-year-old Ellen (Lily Collins) who struggles with anorexia and is often sent to programs that help her deal with it. However, she and her family are dejected when the programs don't give them the desired results.
When she joins a new program, led by Dr. William Beckham (Keanu Reeves), she doesn't have too much hope for it. However, her feelings change when she connects with the other patients in the program.
The film tackles many of the issues that people suffering from various eating disorders face and how they try to overcome them. The film got mixed reviews when it was released in 2017 and is available to watch on Netflix.
5) The Father (2020)
No list of quality movies about mental illness can be complete without The Father, starring Anthony Hopkins. He plays the role of Anthony, an elderly Welsh gentleman suffering from dementia. Hopkins realistically captures the confusion and internal conflict caused by this degenerative condition.
Directed by Florian Zeller, the film shows the viewers the world through Anthony's lens as his mental health deteriorates due to dementia. It also reveals how a condition like dementia affects the people close to the person suffering from it
The Father is available to be streamed on Prime Video.
6) Aftersun (2022)
Aftersun is one of the movies about mental illness directed at teens and young adults. Starring Frankie Corio as 11-year-old Sophie, the film shows her enjoying a vacation with her father, Calum (Paul Mescal). On the surface, they seem like an ideal father-daughter duo but things aren't quite what they seem.
The film shows how Calum tries desperately to hide his pain and depressive episodes from his daughter. However, when Sophie tells him that she feels exhausted and down, he blames himself, believing that he passed on his depressive episodes to her.
The film, which shows both Calum and Sophie dealing with their own problems, is available to be viewed on MUBI.
These movies about mental illness are few of the films that are memorable and heart-warming while opening up opportunities for discussions.
