Prozac Nation (2003)

Prozac Nation for those who don't know was a collection of memoirs by Elizabeth Wurtzel about her time being depressed. I have never read the book but I did want to see this movie because I like both Christina Ricci and Emily Perkins as actresses. So I think that it is pretty good but it does have a lot of problems.The plot is that when Elizabeth goes to Harvard she starts to live the wild life while trying to put together articles, some even for Rolling Stone Magazine. Soon life gradually spins out of control, the more time that passes the faster her life goes out of control. Soon she becomes depressed and mean-spirited to other people (sometimes out of complete nowhere).The acting of this movie is actually pretty good. I have already said I like Christina Ricci and Emily Perkins as actresses but it's everyone who puts in stellar performances. This is easily the best element of the film.Another thing I liked was the ending... That might make me sound as if I didn't like the movie but I really liked the ending. It doesn't give itself Hollywood clichés such as some guardian angel figure telling Elizabeth how to snap out of her depression... It even flat out says that.If I am going to go into complaints it would have to be the way Elizabeth goes through some of her depression. Some of the times when she becomes mean spirited, sometimes it's justified a little bit to make me say "Yes, even though I don't agree with what she's doing I can at least understand it" while others she almost snaps out of nowhere.So I really liked this movie. There were some problems with the movie (The biggest being how Elizabeth acts sometimes) but it actually is a pretty solid film. If you are a fan of Christina Ricci or if you like seeing films about depression then I think this film does bring some good acting and none of this guardian angel stuff Hollywood throws at you then I'd say pick this one up.

I think sometimes people rate a movie low, because they dislike the main character. Women of my age will really relate to this movie. We were thrown into the world with no advice from our parents, who were too busy with themselves. The acting is top notch. Especially by the mother.The girl did the same stuff so many of us did when we went on our own. Of course she was more extreme than most.The one scene where the mother is yelling at the father on the phone is gut wrenching.I just want to tell the girl to stop, don't do it!

Yes, you will see the beautiful and barely 20 yo Christina Ricci topless in this depressing movie about depression and anti-depressants. I don't care what kind of pills she's on when the lights go off and those roundy rounds come out to play. Cheer up buttercup, you have a kickin' body, and you've made sure that everyone in America knows it. The movie is a little bit of a downer though, so take my advice and turn the sound off, see those big beautiful breasts floppin' around over that skinny, taught stomach of hers, and see where the night takes ya. Let it do what it do...let tha flow go, and us ladies may find out a little more about ourselves than we ever wanted to know.

It seems that the only viable way of buying this DVD as a region 2, is via this Dutch release. It seems to load automatically without a menu and so switching off the standard Dutch subtitles requires logistics and (in my case) an advanced DVD model with a 'subtitle' button, which even then, is not the end to the solution. The DVD synopsis is all in Dutch, too, so you'll need an online site such as IMDb to find out more.That point over - the film: I'd only heard of this - and not via the book. I wanted to see it as I've always admired Christine Ricci and maybe I hoped it would be a contentious and gripping - and possibly turgid - look into the underworld of over prescribing of the world's most famous (& infamous) but far from unique (there ARE other antidepressants available) mental health medication. I was also rather keen to see exactly why this movie is not mainstream, why it's not on sale at my local HMV and only gettable as a specialist online import.I was hoping - that it wasn't going to be a cliché-ridden sob story that said nothing about either the condition, the drug or the character that Ricci plays. Unfortunately, many well-intentioned movies covering this sort of subject do but I thought I ought to give it a try.Starting out with Elizabeth's (Ricci) mother, Jessica Lange, getting her daughter prepared for Harvard, where of course, Elizabeth is thrown into the usual round of new friends - and losing her virginity, to dishy Jonathan Rhys Meyer, then Jewish boyfriend Jason Biggs and flashbacks to an absent father. You can see the picture evolving, how the potential problems bubble up and manifest themselves, onto involvement with psychiatrist, Anne Heche. So yes, Prozac Nation is quietly predictable in this respect. There is no need to say more about the plot - you either want to watch it at this point, or not.I did - and do. Norwegian director Erik Skjoldbjaerg does a fair job, with interesting visual and sound effects to subtly amplify the psychological issues. The opening titles are particularly well done. Ricci herself is very good as are all the main players whilst the dialogue is quite course at times, but believable.So, Prozac Nation is no trailblazer and might well deserve its specialist status but Ricci extends that beyond the obvious market and is worth seeing. Recommended, with some reservations.