'Girl, Interrupted' delivers it all
By JILLIAN DEPAUL
Scene Movie Critic
When Susanna Kaysen spent a year in a mental institution during the 1960s for attempting suicide, she was diagnosed with a borderline personality. Even after reading "Girl, Interrupted," the memoir Susanna wrote during her time in the infamous McLean Hospital (it's the same hospital in which Sylvia Plath spent a few of her teenage years), and seeing its movie representation, it is still unclear what is actually wrong with someone who suffers from a borderline personality. What borderline is she crossing exactly? Is it madness and sanity, or is it merely adolescence and adulthood? This is the question at the heart of "Girl, Interrupted." Is the woman in the center of this story insane, a danger to herself and society, or is she simply confused and misunderstood by the very society in which she is trapped?
Making "Girl, Interrupted" was a labor of love for its star and executive producer, Winona Ryder, who said she read the brilliantly poignant and concise memoir by Susanna Kaysen and was inspired not only to see it adapted into a film, but to see it done right. The project was several years in the making, since Ryder shopped it around to several different screenwriters and directors before finally settling on James Mangold, an unlikely choice, who also wrote and directed the 1997 police drama "Cop Land," and "Heavy" in 1995. The film version of "Girl, Interrupted" succeeds because it does not adhere to the unspoken and often incorrect rule that a good adaptation is a strict adaptation. The book is simply a collection of the author's memories and thoughts of that time in her life, which, despite being extremely provocative, does not translate well directly into film. Therefore, the film injects the necessary elements of plot and direction into the bare-bones story, while maintaining the essence of the book. This essence is the desperation, confusion, and eventual strength of the main character, conveyed in an honest and compassionate voice.
In the tradition of the rather specific mental institution genre of filmmaking, including "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Girl, Interrupted" has a terrific cast ensemble. The other patients, nurses, doctors and even orderlies collectively give the film a sense of place. And consequently, the hospital itself becomes a touchingly funny character at times and a frightening one at others. Whoopi Goldberg is as solid as ever playing Valerie, the tough but caring head nurse of their ward; an antithesis of Nurse Ratched, Valerie usually understands the girls better than their doctors. Vanessa Redgrave is radiant but underused as the only one of Susanna's doctors who has a clue, challenging her to re-engage with society on her own terms instead of withdrawing from it completely.
But the real prize of the film is a group of patients who form a camaraderie that is in some way demented, but mostly genuine. There is Georgina, Susanna's roommate and a pathological liar, played by Clea Duvall. There is Polly (Elizabeth Moss), a sweet, young woman who happened to burn off half of her face when she was a girl and is affectionately called "Torch" by her ward mates. You cannot forget Daisy, played by Brittany Murphy who you may recognize from "Clueless," the aloof member of the ward who eats whole chickens which are supplied by her father and stores the carcasses under her bed.
Finally, Angelina Jolie is in a class by herself as Lisa, the heartless, sociopath ringleader of the group. Jolie gives one of those rare electrifying performances that absolutely ignites the screen. She has already won a Golden Globe for her performance, which is without a doubt worthy of an Academy Award. The success of the film hinges on the validity of her portrayal of Lisa, the alternative to reassimilation into society for Susanna. Lisa tells the truth when society lies. Susanna is both drawn to her truth but anchored in the reality external to the hospital walls, even if it is false. Jolie captures simultaneously the seductive and the destructive qualities of her character. The chemistry between Jolie and Ryder is a marvel to watch and "Girl, Interrupted" is definitely worth your extra holiday cash, if you still have any. It covers all the bases; it's a smart, powerful film with a clever sense of humor, and it even has a good soundtrack.
4 out of 5 shamrocks
All Scene Stories for Thursday, January 27, 2000
