Review of Girl, Interrupted (1999) by B C — 28 Feb 2009

This is one of the greatest movies of all time. All of the patients in the psycho ward are played by very talented actors. Whoopi Goldberg delivers a realistic portrayel of "Valerie" the main nurse. Winona Ryder plays main character Susanna Kaysen in a way that everyone watching can relate. As you watch you begin to understand what a troubled time the 1960s were. Anorexic? Psycho Ward. Homosexual? Psycho Ward. Promiscuous? Psycho Ward. Winona's performance shows the world that anyone of us could have ended up in the ward with her. Any small imperfection was enough. Girl, Interrupted shows the terrible practices of Psycho Wards in this time. Shock Treatment was not an uncommon treatment for the patients; the patients were also given sleeping aids and laxatives all around. In a time when doctors weren't quite sure what to do, they just did random treatments and acted like they knew what they were doing. Angelina Jolie's performance earned her an Academy Award. You find yourself dying for her to come back on the screen her her absence. Like many other times, you forget that she is Angelina Jolie and jump right into the life of Lisa Rowe. Jolie has an amazing talent to allow her characters to do terrible things and say awful things in a way that makes the audience still adore her.

Girl, Interrupted is a must-see movie. Not only is it comedic and entertaining, it is enlightening and educational. This is a true story, based on the life of Susanna Kaysen (Winona Ryder's character).