It’s a Movie… it’s Psychology!
The AP Exam is over, so it’s time to kick back and enjoy the last few weeks of school. But, the class
isn’t over yet. With that end in mind, we will be conducting a research project on the way popular
movies portray psychological disorders, patients, and counseling.
Watch ten (10) points worth of movies from the attached list (min: four movies). Once you have
finished a movie, complete an analysis of the film using the questions below:
Name:
Film Name:
Primary Disorder(s):
Disorders and Symptoms:
1. List the symptoms, social ramifications, and possible dangerous actions that the main character(s)
displays.
2. Under what circumstances does the onset of his mental disorder occur?
3. List the disorders and symptoms displayed by supporting characters?
Therapy:
4. What were some techniques used to help the main character?
5. Did the actor’s portrayal of the therapist seem accurate? Why or why not?
Social Effects:
6. How did the condition affect the patient’s life (home, social, work)?
7. How did the supporting characters’ conditions influence or interact with the main character’s
condition?
Representation of the Disorder:
8. How did seeing this movie inform you about the condition with which the characters were dealing?
Did it help in understanding the tendencies, symptoms and the condition itself? Explain.
9. To what extent was the condition ‘Hollywood-ized’? (ex. Exaggerated symptoms, mixed-up
symptoms, extreme examples) What was the purpose of the modification?
10. How might the portrayal of the conditions and those involved impact an average person’s
understanding of the conditions?
Film List: You must watch 10 points were of movies, total. How you combine movies is up to
you.
A note about ratings: Films dealing with psychological themes are not intended for young children.
The disorders themselves, as well as their effect on a person’s life are not the kind of things that show
up in a G-rated film. The material is adult in nature, but is typically limited to language and adult
themes. In this case “adult themes” does not usually translate to sexual innuendo, etc., but rather is
pointing out that young children are not emotionally equipped for understanding what is “wrong with”
the people in the film. As a result, most of the movies listed below carry a PG-13 or R rating.
Please consult with your parent/guardian in choosing appropriate films. It is easy to complete the
project watching nothing but PG and PG-13 films as 22 points come from movies that carry less than
an R rating. We *may* watch some movies (pending approval) in class.
3 Points
1. Girl, Interrupted; R (various disorders: bipolar, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders,
personality disorders, etc.)
2. K-PAX; PG-13 (psychiatric treatment, OCD, psychotic behavior, various others)
3. Gun Shy; R (depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, various) (comedy)
4. Dark Knight; PG-13 (antisocial, narcissism, depression, various others)
5. American Beauty; R (depression, coping, deviant behavior, OCD)
2 Points
6. A Beautiful Mind; PG-13 (schizophrenia)
7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; R (antisocial personality, psychiatric hospitalization)
8. Nell; PG-13 (psychiatry, developmental disorders)
9. Fight Club; R (dissociative identity disorder, depression, “Jung’s evil twin phenomenon”)
10. Me, Myself, and Irene; R (dissociative identity disorder) (comedy)
11. Shutter Island; R (antisocial, dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia)
12. I Am Sam; PG-13 (developmental disorder, agoraphobia, paranoia)
13. The Hours; PG-13 (depression, suicide)
14. Hamlet (1996-Branagh); PG-13 (depression, schizophrenia)
15. Fearless; R (post-traumatic stress disorder)
1 Point
16. Good Will Hunting; R (adolescent therapy, conduct disorder)
17. Don Juan de Marco; PG-13 (depression, mania, altered states, psychiatrists’ lives-ethical
issues)
18. As Good as it Gets; PG-13 (obsessive compulsive disorder) (comedy)
19. Memento; R (amnesia, stress and coping, antisocial)
20. Bourne Identity; PG-13 (amnesia)
21. Awakenings; PG-13 (research psychiatry, catatonia)
22. The Good Son; R (antisocial)
23. Conspiracy Theory; R (paranoia, depression/grief)
24. Psycho (1960-Hitchcock); R (antisocial, dissociative identity disorder, poss. Schizophrenia)
25. Sybil; PG (dissociative identity disorder)
26. Benny and Joon; PG (schizophrenia, various)
27. The Butterfly Effect; R (amnesia)
28. Silence of the Lambs; R (psychotic personality disorder, various others)
29. Clockwork Orange; R (various, psychiatric treatment)
30. What About Bob?; PG (anxiety disorder) (comedy)