Mental Illness as a Focal Point

Research is a fundamental part to any large project. But I most have some sense of what I want my project to be about in order to conduct such extensive research. Now that I have had this project in my mind for quite some time, I believe I know what I would like to focus on in my film opening: mental illness. Seeing as how this topic has affected my life and my family's lives, my goal in the production of the project is to create a realistic view of how mental illness really is like.

First, let's review how Hollywood portrays mental illness. Spoiler alert, most of the time, it is a unrealistic and highly stereotypical depiction. The most used stereotype in the media for people that suffer from mental illness is that they are extremely violent. Think of some of America's classic and beloved films. Silence of The Lambs, American Psycho, and Psycho are just some of the countless movies that have depicted mental illness as an precursor to aggression and even homicidal tendencies. Or more often than not, substance abuse is paired with mental illness in films.

From American Psycho

Another stigmatized perception by the media is that mental illness can easily be rid of. Usually, this kind of plot development is used in order to tie up all loose ends and end a film with a happy tone. However, this does not give an accurate representation of mental illness. By having characters suddenly have no mental issues because of they have fallen in love, the filmmakers are presenting mental illness as more of an emotional phase rather than a serious problem. Silver Linings Playbook utilizes this trope by having the main character seemingly cured of his bipolar disorder after winning a dance competition and falling in love with a Jennifer Lawrence's character.

Silver Linings Playbook

For my production, I want to stray away from the inaccuracy of what many people may think of mental illness is like due to its unrealistic media portrayal. By doing so, I hope to provide an accurate representation to a group who recently has gained traction in the media world. And since about 43.7 million adults suffer from mental illness in the United States, it is an important and serious topic to address.

Boll, J. (2017, February 28). 6 Popular Movies that Got Mental Illness Wrong. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from http://www.rtor.org/2015/10/27/6-movies/

Stobbe, E. (2006, April 6). Movies Stigmatize Mentally Ill as Violent and Dangerous. Retrieved March 12, 2017, from http://brainblogger.com/2006/04/28/anti-stigmatization-movies-stigmatize-mentally-ill-as-violent-and-dangerous/

Tartakovsky, M. (2016, July 17). Media’s Damaging Depictions of Mental Illness. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/medias-damaging-depictions-of-mental-illness/

The Stigma of Mental Illness: Causes, Effects, and Potential Solutions. (2015, February 4). Retrieved March 11, 2017, from http://www.pasadenavilla.com/2015/02/04/the-stigma-of-mental-illness-causes-effects-and-potential-solutions/