top of page

MOVIES ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS

The movies presented on the list show mostly accurate depictions of mental illness!

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012)

Bradley Cooper plays a man with bipolar disorder who is being released from a psychiatric hospital. He soon connects emotionally with a young woman, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who has struggled with her own mental health issues, largely brought on by her husband's death. 

Mental illness depicted: bipolar disorder, depression

images.jpeg
the-road-within.jpg

THE ROAD WITHIN (2014)

Three teenagers, Vincent, Alex, and Marie, escape from a clinic for special children. They then venture into a life-changing journey and head towards the ocean.


Mental Illnesses depicted: Anorexia, OCD, and Tourettes

THE SKELETON TWINS (2014)

When Maggie visits her brother Milo, who has attempted to commit suicide, she asks him to come live at her home for a while. Soon, their broken relationship starts to become stronger.

Mental illness depicted: Depression

p10553070_v_v8_af.jpg
p13764614_v_v8_aa.jpg

TO THE BONE (2017)

Ellen is an unruly 20-year-old anorexic girl who spent the better part of her teenage years being shepherded through various recovery programs, only to find herself several pounds lighter every time. Determined to find a solution, her dysfunctional family agrees to send her to a group home for youths, which is led by a non-traditional doctor. Surprised by the unusual rules, Ellen must discover for herself how to confront her addiction and attempt self-acceptance.

Mental Illness depicted: Eating disorders

IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY (2010)

Craig checks into a psychiatric ward when he realizes that he is suicidal. He undergoes a transformation as he comes across people less fortunate than him. 

Mental illness depicted: depression, self harm

p8119294_v_v8_ac.jpg
p9276569_v_v8_ac.jpg

PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (2012)

Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.

Mental illness depicted: depression, anxiety, suicide, sexual abuse

MARY AND MAX (2009)

A long-distance friendship blossoms between two unlikely people, an eight-year-old lonely girl and a forty-four-year-old morbidly obese man, through letters.

Depicts: Autism Spectrum Disorder 

mary-and-max.jpg
images (1).jpeg

SWALLOW (2019)

A young housewife in a seemingly perfect marriage develops pica, the irresistible urge to ingest inedible objects and material.

Mental Illness depicted: Pica

THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020)

After staging his own suicide, a crazed scientist uses his power to become invisible to stalk and terrorize his ex-girlfriend. When the police refuse to believe her story, she decides to take matters into her own hands and fight back.

Mental Illness depicted: Ptsd, Domestic abuse 

download (2).jpeg
bottom of page