Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Average Rating: 5.7/10
Reviews Counted: 112
Fresh: 60 | Rotten: 52
Critics praise Angelina Jolie's intense performance, but overall they say the movie suffers from flatness of storyline, inability to bring the true spirit of the book to screen, and a diminuative performance by Ryder.
Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 13 | Rotten: 18
Critics praise Angelina Jolie's intense performance, but overall they say the movie suffers from flatness of storyline, inability to bring the true spirit of the book to screen, and a diminuative performance by Ryder.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 219,401
Movie Info
In 1967, 19-year-old Susanna (Winona Ryder) feels that "reality is becoming too dense" and is diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. The doctor suggests to her parents that she be committed to the Claymore Hospital, and she spends the next 18 months struggling with her troubled psyche and the bizarre world of the institution. Susanna bonds with several other patients, including Lisa (Angelina Jolie), Polly (Elizabeth Moss), and Georgina (Clea DuVall). As she realizes that Lisa is
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Winona Ryder
Susanna Kaysen -
Angelina Jolie
Lisa -
Clea DuVall
Georgia -
Brittany Murphy
Daisy -
Elisabeth Moss
Polly -
Jared Leto
Tobias Jacobs -
Jeffrey Tambor
Dr. Potts -
Vanessa Redgrave
Dr. Wick -
Whoopi Goldberg
Valerie -
Mary Kay Place
Mrs. Gilcrest -
Jillian Armenante
Cynthia -
Angela Bettis
Janet -
Drucie McDaniel
M.G. -
Joanna Kerns
Mrs. Kaysen -
Travis Fine
John -
Kurtwood Smith
Dr. Crumble
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (115) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (60) | Rotten (52) | DVD (19)
Does it matter that every time Jolie's offscreen the film wilts a little? Ryder should be perfect as the bright spark; her lines are sharp as a knife. There's a gap, however, between what we hear and what we see.
Top CriticA muddled production that misses the jarring tone of the autobiographical book by Susanna Kaysen on which it is based. The film is entertaining, but not very powerful.
It's difficult to imagine any actress today bringing more sentience and intelligence to [Ryder's] role.
It has neither the clarity nor strength of purpose to engage an audience much beyond the converted.
Unsatisfying and unconvincing.
Girl, Interrupted is Mangold's singular take on the home-front movie: The way he sees it, some women also served time.
Powerful look at mental illness; ages 16+.
Meaty roles for an eager young female ensemble. On that level, and on several others, the movie triumphs.
We end up getting thin supporters as seen through the eyes of a main character that doesn't do anything.
Sounding like the scribblings from a teenager's diary, the 28-year-old Ryder lapses into self-parody.
The two leads play to their strengths.
The screenplay, by helmer Mangold, is by the numbers.
The acting by Ryder, Jolie, and Goldberg is excellent enough to forgive the problems inherent in the script.
Jolie enlivens every scene she's in --- so much so that whenever she's not on screen, many viewers go into a state of suspended animation waiting for her to come back.
Girl, Interrupted" is Hollywood's latest simple-minded treatment of mental illness.
A listless showcase of Hollywood clichés about crazy people, the '60s, and women, a reactionary, distaff Cuckoo's Nest.
[Jolie's] rantings and ravings are so studied and predictable that her work here is truly one of the worst performances of all time.
The drama makes the point that society still doesn't know how to deal with the multiple yearnings of women who don't want to follow in their mothers' path.
You're left wishing the film had a little more faith in its audience, for then this well-put-together movie might have provoked more thought, and slightly less irritation.
It offers a penetrating look into a world few of us will (thankfully) never see.
It's difficult to make a film about depressive types that isn't depressing.
Succumbs to heavy-handedness and extremely predictable plotting -- to the point of seeming unbelievably calculating and contrived, despite the fact that it's based on a true story.
Perhaps the book or true events would lead me to a different conclusion, but the Susanna Kaysen of this film could use a good hard slap in the face.
Audience Reviews for Girl, Interrupted
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
-
- Susanna Kaysen: When you don't want to feel...death can seem like a dream. But, seeing death...really seeing it, makes dreaming about it fucking ridiculous.
-
- Susanna Kaysen: I'm ambivalent. In fact, that's my new favorite word.
- Dr. Wick: Do you know what that means, ambivalence?
- Susanna Kaysen: I don't care.
-
- Lisa: Yeah, let's call Valerie shall we, and ask her for some Colace like Susie Q's got in her fuckin' hand. Why does it STINK in here?
-
- Susanna Kaysen: Because you're dead already, Lisa! No one cares if you die, Lisa because you're dead already. Your heart is cold. That's why you keep coming back here. You're not free. You need this place, you need it to feel alive. It's pathetic.
-
- Susanna Kaysen: Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the 60's. Or maybe I was just a girl... interrupted.
-
- Lisa: Razors pain you, rivers are damp, acid stains you, drugs cause cramps, guns aren't lawful, nooses give, gas smells awful, you might as well live.
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Girl, Interrupted yet.
What's Hot On RT
Jack the Giant Slayer and...
Woody Allen in San Francisco
See the Desolation of Smaug trailer!
Where does This Is the End rank?
Latest News on Girl, Interrupted
September 5, 2007:
James Mangold and Peter Fonda Talk 3:10 to Yuma With RTIt's chilly in the Ritz when the 3:10 to Yuma interviews begin. After I was escorted into a nippy...
June 21, 2006:
Brittany Murphy to Give "Tinker Bell" Her VoiceNow that they've made direct-to-video sequels from allllll their classic features, the Disney gang...
February 21, 2006:
Mangold Climbs Aboard the "3:10 to Yuma""Walk the Line" director James Mangold has his next project ready to roll. It's a remake...
Fresh Links
Featured
Movie: ID: 13028 Title: Girl, Interrupted Release Date: 1999-12-21 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 4 Status: 1
The Looks of Johnny Depp
To celebrate the star's birthday, BuzzSugar looks at the many faces of Johnny Depp.
10 Egregious Product Placements
Rolling Stone wonders if The Internship goes too far... then provides 10 examples of movies that did.
Horror Movie Mistakes
Moviefone offers up 8 of the most obvious glaring errors in popular fright flicks.
10 Bad Movies That Look Great
Sometimes even terrible movies can be beautiful; here are 10 of them, from HitFix.
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- Digital Multiplex: 21 & Over, Quartet, and More 0
- RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Jack the Giant Slayer and Quartet 18
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Man of Steel Sets June Record 101
- Weekly Ketchup: Man of Steel Sequel In the Works 182
- Five Favorite Films with Joss Whedon 124
- Bonus Footage of the Cast & Crew of Man of Steel 1
- Critics Consensus: Man of Steel Is Up, Up, and Okay 277
Top Headlines
Foreign Titles
- Durchgeknallt (DE)
