The 11 best movies about depression

Making a list of the best films about depression is a complex and risky task, since there are many open debates and the big screen does not evade them. Furthermore, individual differences play a very important role in depression and it has not always been specified in the films that any of the characters had depression or the symptomatic picture has not been fully specified, either with behaviors or actions.

Thus, this lack of specificity means that, at times, the big screen makes the idea of ​​softening the disorder tempting. On the other hand, the best films about depression are characterized by showing us an unknown part of the affectation. Even a new way of looking at it, with inspiring ways to cope.

The best movies about depression make us understand that this condition goes beyond sadness. That it is not a homogeneous picture of symptoms and that each person can experience it in different ways. Cinema can also help us understand this complexity.

The 11 best movies about depression

Most movies that deal with depression correctly teach us that anyone can fall into this state. They show that it is a complex psychological disorder; From the outside, it may seem like a disease with a multitude of physical symptoms.

On the other hand, on other occasions depression manifests itself as a dysfunctional pattern of behavior that prevents living the life one wants, perhaps preceded by a loss of effectiveness of the reinforcers that previously worked. Let’s look at some of the best and most original movies to understand depression.

1. Little Miss Sunhine (2006), one of the best films about depression

Little Miss Sunshine is a black comedy that shows how depression can be a family affair. With the exception of Olive, the main character and the youngest daughter, All members of the Faris family fight against mental ghosts that limit them.. Their poor mental health often causes them to attack each other, aggravating their depression.

The only truly “happy” people in the family are Edwin and Olive. Two people, at the beginning and at the end of life, who share a deep bond. Franks’ character introduces the terms “depression” and “suicide” into the vocabulary of young Olive, who begins to worry about problems such as depression.

Frank mainly talks to Dwayne, who is also depressed and can only communicate on paper. The pressure of winning or losing divides the characters, who end up all being “losers.” one way or another, but they decide to finally work on their problems together as a family.

2. Revolutionary Road (2008)

Next on our list of best movies about depression is Revolutionary Road, Sam Mendes’ adaptation of the novel of the same name (1961). It stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. The film shows an analysis of the relationship between Frank Wheeler (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) from the moment they met until their tragic end.

Upon getting married, while they still had hopes and aspirations, they choose security (as most do) over far-fetched dreams and move to 115 Revolutionary Road, in suburban Connecticut. This occurs when April becomes pregnant.

The couple’s failure to achieve their goals turns into anger and hostility toward others. Tired of her repetitive, empty and desperate lives, April dreams of moving to Paris so she can start a new one. But as they begin to plan, circumstances change and they remain stuck in their unfulfilling and miserable lives.

3. The Hours (2002)

This adaptation by Stephen Daldry was an Academy Award-nominated adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. The story focuses on three depressed women from different eras during a single day.

In The hours The stories alternate between the writer Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) in 1923, the housewife Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) in 1951 and the modern and independent New Yorker Clarissa Vaughan (Meryl Streep). In 2001, the three protagonists are interconnected by Woolf’s novel “Mrs. Dollaway.”

The three stories are incredibly balanced and They highlight the depression of each protagonist in a clear and discreet way. Every woman has her own struggle with depression. and identifies with several elements of Woolf’s novel.

4. Melancholia (2011)

Lars von Trier’s art film takes place in a context of uncertainty, anxiety and destruction. A rogue planetary gas giant, called Melancholiais approaching Earth, threatening to impact with it.

Divided into parts or chapters, the first half is dedicated to the depressed and unstable Justine (Kristen Dunst) on her wedding day. Meanwhile, the rest of the film is her sister Claire’s (Charlotte Gainsbourg) perspective of what happens to her sister Justine.

Melancholy is inspired by Kristen Dunst and Lars Von Trier’s own depression and their observation that depressed people are often apathetic and lethargic. The camera witnesses his ability to remain calm even in disastrous situations, such as an apocalypse.

Dunst is distinguished by his bold disinhibition and catatonic behavior. Von Trier’s nihilistic version of a disaster movie advocates accept that life has no meaning and that death is inevitable.

5. Three Colors: Blue (1993)

The first film of The trilogy of three colors by Krzysztof Kieślowski. Blue is an intense character-driven piece, recounting the themes of emotional freedom and subsequent isolation. Set in Paris, Julie (Juliette Binoche) must deal with the sudden death of her husband and her son in an accident that she survived.

While recovering from the injuries he suffered, he attempts suicide by overdose. She separates herself from her friends and her past life and tries to live alone, away from reminders and memories. However, despite her efforts, she is still drawn to reality by her husband’s unfinished musical work and his apparent lover.

6. Sylvia (2003)

This biographical film chronicles the troubled relationship of poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes and the events that led to Plath’s suicide in 1963. When Plath met Hughes in Cambridge in 1956, she was already experiencing extreme episodes of depression and had already tried to take her own life.

While in the film Sylvia (Gwyneth Paltrow) confesses her past mental instability to Ted (Daniel Craig), in real life she hid her depression from him. There are multiple warning signs throughout the film that could be indicators of the outcome, like Plath’s mother’s advice to Ted about her fragility. Her multiple affairs, her legitimate feelings of betrayal and always feeling overshadowed by her husband, culminate in her hopelessness.

7. 500 days with her (2009)

Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), greeting card writer and hopeless romantic, He is completely devastated when his girlfriend, Summer (Zooey Deschanel), leaves him.. He reflects on their 500 days together to try to figure out where their love story broke down, and in doing so, Tom rediscovers his true passions in life.

In this review, Tom’s various depressive states are seen, which teaches us that these can also be cyclical and that sadness is very fragile in the face of behavioral activation. His combination of optimism and practicality is a refreshing change after being devastated by heartbreak for several months.

8. Helen (2009)

In this film by director Sandra Nettelbeck, what depression entails is clearly explained, that is, it is portrayed as a disorder that requires attention, support and care. Helen Leonard (Ashley Hudd) is a pianist and music teacher who, although she apparently has a happy and successful life, lives in the midst of deep emotional discomfort due to a depressive disorder. The film takes us all through her attempts to maintain control of her life and her world while, little by little, she inevitably falls apart.

9. The Skeleton Twins (2014)

Although lightly and with humor, this film continues to address the depth and drama of the disorder at hand. The film is about the tragedy of Milo (Bill Hader), who writes a suicide note and cuts his wrists. At the same time, Maggie (Kristen Wiig) attempts suicide with pills.

However, Maggie stops her suicide attempt when she is informed of her brother’s. That’s when she makes the determination to prevent her brother from completing his mission of committing suicide. To do this, they decide to move in together and it is in that coexistence that the bulk of the film takes place.

10. About Schmidt (2002)

This film by American director Alexander Payne presents the story of Warren Schmidt, a recently retired old man who is also going through the sudden loss of his wife. So, Between the fact of having left her job and her recent widowhood, we are seeing how old age confronts us with feelings of loneliness, isolation and loss of meaning.

eleven. Prozac Nation (2001)

Finally, Prozac Nation is a film adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name, written by Elizabeth Lee Wurtzel. Directed by Erik Skjoldbjaerg and starring Christina Ricci and Jessica Lange, seeks to portray the struggle of people with depression to get out of that state, as well as the conflicts that people in their immediate circle also go through. of a patient diagnosed with a mood disorder.

There are many films that could be included on this list. From here we encourage you to continue documenting yourself through the seventh art, but Remember to choose those that do not romanticize mental disorders or ridicule them. Even through humor it is possible to show the reality of depression without harming anyone.

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