🎥 ✨ Movies and Mental Health

Next stop: Hollywood.

Hey fam. Meg here. Hollywood’s biggest night is approaching and if you’re anything like me, you're scrambling to watch some of this year's buzziest films ahead of the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday.

Despite that one in five adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness in some capacity, stories centering mental illness have largely remained stigmatized and often underrepresented during award season. Over the decades, a few exceptions have come through like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975, an adaptation of the Ken Kesey novel about a group of patients living at a mental health facility; Ordinary People in 1980 about a young man with depression confronting his traumas in therapy, and of course can’t forget A Beautiful Mind in 2001 about the life of John Nash, a mathematician living with schizophrenia.

Now in 2023, it seems the subject of mental health conditions is more prevalent in movies. Among the 2023 nominations, several feature lead characters experiencing a wide range of mental, emotional, and social health challenges ranging from loneliness to disabling mental health conditions. Below are a few of my favorites.

But before we go on, two content notes:

  • Some of what is discussed below contains difficult mental health themes. Please take care while reading.

  • We’ve tried to avoid any spoilers, but if you’re being extra cautious, feel free to skip over today’s newsletter.

Mental health in movies

Banshees of Inshiren: In The Banshees of Inisherin, Director Daniel McDonagh portrays many themes amid the backdrop of 1920s Ireland including love, loss, anger, depression, and loneliness.

The Whale: The Whale stars Brendan Fraser as Charlie, a divorced dad and online educator who struggles with obesity, binge eating, grief, and loneliness leading up to his final days which he spends mending the broken relationship he has with his daughter, Ellie. (CW: binge eating, eating disorder)

The Fabelmans: In The Fabelmans, Director Steven Spielberg tells a very personal story of his youth in his most recent film that is part drama, part biopic. Mitzi Fabelman (played by Michelle Wiliams) is the unstable nucleus, suffering from undiagnosed bipolar illness as she attempts to hold herself together even when seemingly on the verge of breakdown.

Close: Close, nominated in the Best International Feature Film category this year, is a depiction of two young Belgium boys navigating their close relationship as they develop and grow. It is a heart wrenching story that will have you thinking more about how young boys are often expected to behave by demonstrating masculinity and masking emotion. (CW: suicide)

The Son: The Son tells the story of a 17-year-old boy struggling with a wide range of mental health challenges – ranging from anxiety and depression to suicidal tendencies. The most recent film from Director Florian Zeller has been said to be “a raw and honest depiction of mental health issues in young people and the impact it has on those around them.”

Empire of Light: In Empire of Light, Olivia Colman plays Hilary Small, a movie theater employee living with bipolar disorder. In one scene Hilary is seen looking through her medicine cabinet as she stares at the lithium that often leaves her feeling numb. When off her meds, the spiral is all encompassing and self-destructive, as with many who live with the condition. (CW: bipolar disorder)

Aftersun: In the Indie break-out film Aftersun, Paul Mescal plays a divorced dad taking a sun-splashed vacation with his young daughter, Sophie. According to one critic, “Aftersun breaks every single stereotype one has come to associate with depression, suicide and mental illness.” (CW: suicide)

Impact of movies on mental health

And before you decide you don’t have time to sit down and watch a 2+ hour movie, consider this study conducted by researchers at University College London that found people who watched movies experienced improved mental focus which, according to the study, helped to improve cognition and memory. Additionally:

  • Watching movies can help cultivate empathy, leading to stronger relationships

  • Movies (yes, even the sad ones) can boost mood

  • Movies help can forge connections through conversation (reply to this email if you want to chat about any movies any time. I’m all ears).

That’s all for now, folks. See you next week(ish). In the meantime, forward this email to all your movie-loving friends!

Meg

Meg Hovious