Review of Prozac Nation (2003) by Martha P — 20 Apr 2006

Rented.

I'm not quite sure why I ended up renting this movie. I remembered hearing good things about it and I got a free $1 movie by renting a new release so I figured "what the heck." It was... interesting. Lizzie (Christina Ricci) is a hopelessly messed up teenager. Her psychological state is a result of a very screwed up childhood dealing with her parents' divorce and her mother's desire to live her own life through her daughter. As Lizzie goes off to Harvard on a journalism scholarship her life completely falls apart. She is obsessive about everything from drugs, sex, and relationships. She freaks out while trying to write a paper about Bruce Springsteen and ends up in a depressive downward spiral. Her saving grace turns out to be a combination of therapy with a doctor played by Anne Heche and some happy pills - hence the title.

It was an odd movie. The acting was alright and I especially liked Jason Biggs. Christina Ricci spent most of the film in tears or on some kind of drug trip so I'm sure that was rough. I probably wouldn't choose to see it again. It's kind of a downer. Then again, I maybe just need some Prozac of my own. Ha ha.