In film, it is common to stereotype mental health and categorize characters as “unstable” due to their mental health condition(s) or perceived conditions. The problem with Hollywood telling stories involving mental health conditions is the villainization of those characters. While the depictions may not always be offensive, they can be inaccurate.
Movies about mental health conditions can include a variety of characters with genius-level intellect or exaggerated and sensational quirks. Either way, the misinformation spread through these movies can be harmful. Unfortunately, good movies can incorrectly portray mental health.
10/10 Split demonizes dissociative identity disorder
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Pull apart follows Kevin, a man with dissociative identity disorder who kidnaps a group of girls. Kevin has a total of 23 alters that interact with the girls, but each one has a varying level of cruelty.
Kevin has a host identity that is extremely dangerous, known as “The Beast”. Unlike all of his other alters, The Beast has incredible strength and agility. This portrayal of dissociative identity disorder is damaging; Pull apart suggests that those living with DID are violent and dangerous.
9/10 Joker uses mental health conditions to justify violence
One of the most renowned villains that exist, the Jokerhe finally had an origin story told in 2019 with the movie. jester. The film follows Arthur Fleck, a man whose neurological condition causes him to laugh uncontrollably at random times. Sometimes his laugh is considered inappropriate. This results in Arthur being ostracized from society, often ostracized for his behavior.
Arthur is portrayed as a product of his surroundings. He is often bullied and ridiculed by almost everyone, and this is the driving factor for his worsening mental health condition. He becomes evil, dangerously violent, and murderous, perpetuating harmful stereotypes surrounding mental health.
8/10 Visit is wrong on mental health conditions
M.Night Shyamalan‘s The visit follows two children visiting their grandparents. There, Becca and Tyler notice that their grandparents, Nana and Pop Pop, are acting a bit strange, and the visit twist reveals why.
It is revealed that Nana and Pop Pop are actually runaway patients from the mental hospital where the real grandparents worked. The visit hints that Nana and Pop Pop are living with dementia or schizophrenia. The symptoms of these characters are far from the reality of dementia (especially with “sunddowning”) or schizophrenia, which has garnered The visit some criticism
7/10 Fatal Attraction Falsely Depicts Bipolar
Weather Fatal Attraction is considered a phenomenal film, its portrayal of mental health is subpar. Glenn Close stars as a bipolar woman who apparently becomes obsessed with a married man after spending a night with him. Over time, she becomes increasingly angry and dangerous.
In Fatal AttractionClose’s character quickly becomes the antagonist when he threatens the safety of the man and his family. Her character is supposedly bipolar, but the portrayal of the woman and her symptoms are inaccurate. Generally speaking, bipolar is characterized by mood swings. Nevertheless, Fatal Attraction takes it to the extreme, which is both harmful and offensive.
6/10 Psycho is outdated when it comes to mental health
While the horror classic Psychopath is entertaining and terrifying, its depiction of mental illness is very dated and inaccurate. The film centers on Norman Bates, who works at the Bates Motel and lives with dissociative identity disorder. One of his alters kills any woman who might pay attention to him.
In Psychopath, Norman’s DID stems from his trauma and the unhealthy relationship he had with his mother. In turn, the alter of the Mother became the host identity and murdered several people. Psychopath it paints Norman and DID as something to be feared, which is furthering evil stereotypes of mental health conditions.
Martin Scorsese’s movie, shutter island, centers on a man who believes he is a United States Marshal. Teddy Daniels is sent to a mental hospital to find a missing patient. shutter island explores the mental health conditions that keep Teddy from knowing what’s real and what’s not.
Many have assumed that shutter island discusses delusional disorder or other stress-related conditions, but the film does not deal accurately with DD. Teddy’s state of mental health is perpetuated by the staff, who hope that he will regain his memory. shutter island it was inaccurate, especially since Teddy could enter his delusions at will and was incredibly violent.
4/10 Turner & Hooch disparages obsessive-compulsive disorder
turner and alcohol is a detective film that follows a man, Scott Turner, and his trusted companion, a dog named Hooch. A connection is formed between the two when Hooch helps Turner with a case and symptoms of Turner’s obsessive-compulsive disorder.
turner and alcohol he doesn’t outwardly state Turner’s OCD, but he is very clear in his compulsions. turner and alcohol it’s light-hearted, but it can be detrimental, as it suggests that people with OCD can simply get over OCD by getting a pet. The movie does a poor job of showing how to live with OCD.
3/10 Irene, myself and we portray inaccurate symptoms
the events of Irene, me and me follows Charlie, played by Jim Carrey, who lives with DID. While Charlie is affable and personable, his alter ego, Hank, is aggressive and tough. Both Charlie and Hank work together to stop corrupt cops from taking a woman he loves, Irene, from his care.
In the movie, Charlie is diagnosed with DID and schizophrenia. Jim Carrey is always expected to have an over the top performance, and it’s no different with Me, myself, and Irene. While it’s done for the sake of comedy, the film incorrectly portrays the symptoms of DID.
2/10 Midsommar Accurately Represents Trauma, But Incorrectly Represents Bipolarity
Many think that Ari Aster did an incredible job of portraying mental health conditions through Dani in midsummer. During the cult-centric horror film, she is seen dealing with what fans assume to be PTSD, depression and/or anxiety. This is presented through panic attacks, which begin after the death of her parents and sisters.
However, Dani’s sister is said to be living with bipolar disorder and this description is totally inaccurate. early in midsummer, it is revealed that her sister killed her parents and herself in a murder-suicide. Representation only furthers the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder and its association with evil behaviors.
1/10 The Shining makes mental illness the monster
stanley kubrick the glow features one of the most iconic horror movie antagonists. Jack Torrance is a writer who goes to a hotel with his family in hopes of curing his writer’s block. At the hotel, strange things begin to happen, the history of the hotel is revealed and spirits haunt the family.
Falling under the influence of the hotel, Jack begins to show signs of various mental health problems, most notably schizophrenia. Jack is seen dealing with psychosis, delusions, and alcoholism, which lead him to terrorize his family. Mental health conditions are explored from a sinister angle, Jack is seen as a monster and his mental health is sensationalized by scares. Unfortunately, the glow villainized mental health conditions and perpetuated fear.
