Movies About Mental Health

From David Fincher, starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier
Rated R

Fight Club is a 1999 American film directed by David Fincher and based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film follows an unnamed protagonist, portrayed by Edward Norton, who is discontented with his white-collar job. He forms a "fight club" with soap maker Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, and they are joined by men who also want to fight recreationally. The narrator becomes embroiled in a relationship with Durden and a dissolute woman, Marla Singer. The fight club's acts of vandalism, fights, and other reckless behavior, cause the narrator to become increasingly unstable. He begins to lose his grip on reality and his life takes a turn for the worse as Tyler's plans become more extravagant and self-destructive. In the end, Tyler is revealed to be an invention of the narrator's fractured psyche. The narrator ultimately defeats Tyler's plans, restores his identity, and returns to a calmer life.

From Milos Forman, starring Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman, Peter Brocco
Rated R

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 American drama film directed by Milos Forman, based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey. It stars Jack Nicholson as Randle McMurphy, a criminal who feigns insanity to serve a short sentence in an asylum rather than in prison. The film chronicles McMurphy's interactions with the oppressive Nurse Ratched and the other patients, who come to see him as a liberating force in their lives. In the end, McMurphy's rebellious nature gets the better of him and leads to tragic consequences. The film was a commercial and critical success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Nicholson), Best Actress (Louise Fletcher), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest films ever made.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
Rated R

The Shining is a classic horror movie directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the novel by Stephen King. Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) is a struggling writer and recovering alcoholic who takes a job as the winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. He moves there with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and son, Danny (Danny Lloyd). Danny possesses "the shining", an psychic ability that allows him to see into the hotel's horrific past. As the winter progresses, Jack's mental state deteriorates as he succumbs to the evil influence of the ghostly presences in the hotel. He eventually descends into homicidal madness, attempting to murder his family and anyone who gets in his way. Wendy and Danny must try to survive Jack's rampage and find a way to escape the hotel before it is too late.

From Todd Phillips, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy
Rated R

Joker is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Phillips, Scott Silver, and Charley Parlapanides, based on the DC Comics character Joker. It follows Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian, whose descent into insanity and nihilism inspires a violent revolution against Gotham City's elite. Joaquin Phoenix stars as the titular character, with Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Shea Whigham, Bill Camp, Glenn Fleshler, Marc Maron, and Douglas Hodge in supporting roles. The film follows Fleck's deteriorating mental state that leads him to become a criminal and eventually the Joker. As he tries to make sense of his troubled life, Fleck is confronted with a bleak and corrupt Gotham City, where the wealthy and powerful are smug and uncaring and the lower classes are forgotten and neglected. Through his descent into madness, he challenges the broken system and ignites a revolution that will change Gotham forever.

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans
Rated R

Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 American psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky, and starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Hubert Selby Jr., and tells the story of four characters whose lives become intertwined through their struggles with addiction. The film follows Sarah Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), a widow who is addicted to television and diet pills, her son Harry (Jared Leto) and his girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly), who are heroin addicts, and Harry's close friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans), who is also addicted to heroin. The characters all have dreams of a better life, but their addictions begin to take over, leading them down dark and destructive paths. As their lives spiral out of control, they face devastating consequences. The film is a powerful exploration of addiction, and how it can affect people from all walks of life.

From Michel Gondry, starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Gerry Robert Byrne
Rated R

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 romantic science fiction comedy-drama film written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry. The film stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as a couple who have undergone a procedure to have all memories of their relationship erased. As the memories are erased, the two confront the realities of their relationship as they attempt to rediscover each other. The film follows Joel Barish and Clementine Kruczynski, two people who met on a Long Island Rail Road train and later began a relationship. After a fight, Clementine has all of her memories of Joel erased from her mind by Lacuna, Inc., a company specializing in memory erasure. Upset by the decision, Joel decides to do the same, but during the procedure, he begins to reconsider and attempts to stop the process. The film explores themes of memory, love, and their relationship to the past. It is noted for its innovative narration structure, which jumps back and forth in time. It was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for several awards, including four Academy Awards.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Albert Brooks
Rated R

Taxi Driver is a 1976 neo-noir psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul Schrader, and starring Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle. Travis is a Vietnam veteran and taxi driver who is driven to psychosis and violence by the moral decay he perceives in New York City. His mission is to clean up the city, and he sets out on a journey of vigilante justice, ultimately boiling to a violent climax that leaves Travis, and the audience, with questions of morality. Along the way, he meets a young prostitute, played by Jodie Foster, and attempts to take her away from her abusive pimp. The film has become a classic, being cited by many filmmakers as an influence and being selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1994.

From Ron Howard, starring Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer
Rated PG-13

A Beautiful Mind is a 2001 biographical drama film directed by Ron Howard and based on the life of John Nash, a Nobel Laureate in Economics. The film stars Russell Crowe as Nash, along with Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany. The movie tells the story of John Nash, a brilliant but troubled mathematician struggling with schizophrenia who eventually overcomes his illness and goes on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. Nash's life as a Princeton University student and a professor is shown, as well as his struggle to find a way to manage his mental illness and his difficult relationships with others. The film is an inspiring portrayal of perseverance and the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle, including the debilitating effects of mental illness. It also serves as a reminder that with dedication and hard work, it is possible to achieve greatness, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
Rated R

Shutter Island is a psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese. The story follows US Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) as they investigate the disappearance of an inmate from a psychiatric facility on Shutter Island, located off the coast of Boston. Teddy's investigation leads him down a spiraling path of mystery, deceit, and violence as he pieces together the truth about the facility and its inhabitants. He discovers dark secrets, which challenge his perceptions of reality, and ultimately leads him to confront his own inner demons.

From Florian Zeller, starring Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams
Rated PG-13

The Father is a 2020 drama film directed by Florian Zeller and starring Anthony Hopkins. The story follows an elderly man, Anthony (Hopkins), who is struggling with the onset of dementia. His daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) attempts to care for him while struggling to balance her own life, but as his dementia progresses, his grip on reality begins to slip away. He experiences moments of confusion and delusion, as he struggles to make sense of his rapidly changing life. As his situation becomes increasingly desperate, his family must come to terms with the reality of the situation and how best to care for him.

From Richard Kelly, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne
Rated R

Donnie Darko is a darkly comic and mind-bending science fiction cult classic film. It is set in 1988 and follows the adventures of a troubled adolescent named Donnie, a high school student living in a suburban town outside of Washington D.C. Donnie begins to have visions of a giant rabbit called Frank, who informs him that the world is going to end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. Donnie must then embark on a journey of self-discovery to save himself, his family, and the world. Along the way, he unravels a complex mystery, confronting reality-bending events, strange visions and time travel. Donnie eventually discovers that a mysterious jet engine has crashed into his bedroom, and that Frank was sent back in time to prevent it from happening. Donnie must continue to travel through time and unravel the mysteries of the universe in order to save the world from the impending apocalypse.

From David Lynch, starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux, Jeanne Bates
Rated R

Mulholland Drive is a psychological mystery-drama film by director David Lynch. It follows the story of a young woman named Betty Elms, who arrives in Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a successful actress. She discovers an amnesiac woman who has lost all of her memories, and the two embark on a journey to discover her identity. As the story progresses, Betty begins to uncover the dark secrets of Hollywood, which leads her to question the reality of the world she inhabits. The story is told through an intricate web of dream sequences, flashbacks, and surreal imagery. It is a haunting and thought-provoking exploration of the dark side of human nature and the power of dreams.

From Brad Anderson, starring Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, John Sharian
Rated R

The Machinist is a 2004 psychological thriller film starring Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and John Sharian. The story follows Trevor Reznik (Bale), a machinist whose insomnia and psychological trauma have left him thin, gaunt, and haunted by hallucinations. A year prior, he suffered an industrial accident and his life is now crumbling around him. He is estranged from his wife and son, his co-workers avoid him, and he is increasingly tormented by a mysterious co-worker who leaves him notes accusing him of a horrible crime. As his paranoia mounts, Trevor's search for the truth leads him to a shocking revelation.

From Mary Harron, starring Christian Bale, Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Bill Sage
Rated R

American Psycho is a 2000 black comedy horror film directed by Mary Harron, based on Bret Easton Ellis’s 1991 novel of the same name. The story follows the life of wealthy, egoistic Wall Street banker Patrick Bateman and his descent into insanity. He is a serial killer, killing numerous people and animals in a fit of rage, as he attempts to maintain an image of success and normality in the public eye. The film also follows Bateman's relationships with his shallow fiancee Evian, and his coworkers. As his life spirals further out of control, the line between reality and fantasy blurs and viewers are left questioning his true identity.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly
Rated PG-13

The Aviator is a biographical drama from director Martin Scorsese that follows the life of aviation pioneer and film producer Howard Hughes. The film chronicles Hughes' life from the late 1920s to the 1940s and his rise to fame as a Hollywood mogul and aviation innovator. Hughes' obsessive-compulsive disorder and mental health issues are also explored. The Aviator stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Hughes and features an ensemble cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, and more. The film received widespread critical acclaim, earning 11 Academy Award nominations and five wins. It was also a box office success, grossing more than $213 million at the time of its release and garnering numerous awards.

From Adrian Lyne, starring Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello, Matt Craven
Rated R

From Bill Pohlad, starring John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti
Rated PG-13

From James Mangold, starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy
Rated R

From Woody Allen, starring Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard, Sally Hawkins
Rated PG-13

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart
Rated R

From Lars von Trier, starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgård
Rated R

From Jonathan Teplitzky, starring Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgård, Jeremy Irvine
Rated R

From Benedict Andrews, starring Kristen Stewart, Yvan Attal, Gabriel Sky, Jack O'Connell
Rated R

From Michael Pearce, starring Riz Ahmed, Octavia Spencer, Lucian-River Chauhan, Aditya Geddada
Rated R