1999 - Rated R - 2 hr 7 min
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Goldberg, Brittany Murphy, Clea DuVall, Elisabeth Moss, Vanessa Redgrave, Jared Leto, Jeffrey Tambor, Angela Bettis, Jillian Armenante
Ryder plays Susanna Kaysen, the author of the autobiographical book detailing her 18 months in a psychiatric ward. A colorful cast of women join her -- some greatly outshining her in fact, like Jolie's Lisa, an Oscar-winning performance.
As one of the least crazy women in the ward, Kaysen needs to do the most personal reflection. Her depression, she realizes, can be overcome... but it takes her a while to get to that finishing line. No thanks to Lisa, the rowdy, authority-challenging "bad girl" of the ward. They become friends and, while Kaysen ultimately sees lessons to be learned from the friendship, at first it threatens to lead her down exactly the wrong path.
Whoopi Goldberg is fantastic here as well, playing the head nurse of the ward -- a tough woman remniscent of Chicago's Mama Morten who puts up with a lot of back-talk but knows when its time to speak up. A great scene between her and Ryder is among my favorites.
So many great performances here -- Brittany Murphy among them -- and it's definitely a great new addition to the wall.
