One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is one of those classic motion pictures that has aged well and is still entertaining today. Milos Forman’s adaptation of the novel of the same name starred Jack Nicholson as a merry inmate who pleads for insanity and lands in a ward for the mentally unstable. There, he starts a revolution of his own, leading the scared inmates to live their life more freely while going against the oppressive Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).
The film is still beloved by many and is trending again after the release of the recent Netflix series Ratched, which serves as a prequel to the film. Now that the film is back in popular conversation, one can revisit it, along with these cinematic picks on the side.
Short Term 12 (2013)
Starring Brie Larson in her first leading role, Short Term 12 is a tragically heartwarming look into present-day mental health among neglected youths.
Larson and John Gallagher play two caring counselors at a group home for at-risk teenagers. But as the heroine deals with old and new cases, her personal demons come in the way and old wounds are reopened. The film is a moving that exposes how vulnerable humans can be and how sometimes, all they need is a little empathy. The film also features a stellar ensemble comprising of Lakeith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Denver, and Rami Malek in some of their earliest roles.
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Girl, Interrupted is a polarizing film based on the memoir themed around a psychiatric hospital in the 60s. Over the years, it has still been cherished by a set of fans, chiefly because of Angelina Jolie’s ing performance (for which she won the Academy Award).
While it does seem to be an honest attempt at understanding the psychological nuances of troubled adults, the film also resorts to good, old melodrama when required. The dramatic elements might not work for all kinds of viewers, but this early James Mangold directorial venture is still worth a watch.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The ultimate prison film of all time, The Shawshank Redemption has its extremely sad moments. At the same time, the drama also features hope and optimism as running themes, making it a positive slice-of-life story, too.
When Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is unjustly imprisoned in Shawshank Penitentiary, he befriends Red (Morgan Freeman). Both friends witness the prison changing over the years while trying to escape abuse from their fellow prisoners and the prison guards. Ultimately, Andy harbors hopes of escaping the prison for once and for all. Well-written and leisurely placed, the film makes for a brilliant human drama, a good-enough thriller, and a wholesome viewing experience.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Just like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’s Randie, Dead Poets Society is that of an English teacher in an uptight, almost-authoritarian boys’ school.
He urges his students to not be stuck in bookish knowledge and, instead, to look beyond the academic jargon. He introduces the students to poetry and an appreciation for nature and life, who get rejuvenated by his unconventional teaching style. Dead Poets Society might present slightly utopian ideals, at times, but it also inspires viewers to live life a little more than usual.
The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (2018)
This realistic teen drama can almost be seen as a spiritual spin-off of Boy Erased. In 1993, teenager Cameron Post (Chloe Grace-Mortez) is caught kissing the prom queen and sent away to a conservative Christian camp to cure her of her ‘lesbianism.’ The girl makes plans to run away from the captivity of this extremist institution, while making new friends who are also sent here to be ‘cured.’
The Miseducation Of Cameron Post is a realistic and original take on its genre, revealing the inherent homophobia in certain sections of society and the mental abuse that many LGBTQ+ people endure.
Boy Erased (2018)
Similar to the aforementioned film, Lucas Hedges shines in the lead role, showing his prowess in handling extremely vulnerable characters, while Joel Egerton convincingly plays a strict pastor who tries ‘converting’ the protagonist.
Boy Erased asks some troubling yet socially relevant questions, while fully respecting its source material. It’s another feather for Egerton’s cap, who also wrote and directed the film. Apart from Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman playing Hedges’ parents, the ensemble cast also represents significant gay artists, like Troye Sivan and Xavier Dolan.
Bronson (2008)
Drive fame, the film is inspired by the real-life imprisonment of Michael Peterson, a British man imprisoned for robbing a post office. The psychological drama explores his subsequent descent into madness in prison, while he develops an intimidating and hyperviolent personality.
The transformation from Peterson to ‘Bronson’ is physically and mentally grueling, as can be seen from Hardy’s committed performance, while Refn’s vision adds an element of dark comedy to the narrative.
The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015)
Based on the real-life experiment of the same name, the film accurately portrays an attempt to simulate a prison experience by asg roles of prison guards and inmates to randomly-selected teens. The confused yet interested youngsters are asked to stay in a made-up prison at Stanford University for a few weeks.
The experiment had to be called off after a few days, due to the traumatic experience that the participants went through. Billy Crudup, the film is a gritty and haunting experience of institutionalized life.
Man Facing Southeast (1986)
Hombre Mirando al Sudeste aka Man Facing Southeast is an Argentine sci-fi classic is set in a mental institution, as one of its patients claims to be an extraterrestrial being from outer space. While initially, the staff refutes his claims, a doctor sees the potential of truth in what the patient says. Both doctor and patient engage in a philosophical journey that makes the doctor confront his own fears.
Man Facing Southeast is also often compared to the American sci-fi drama K-PAX, which seems to borrow several elements from the Argentine film.
The Longest Yard (1974)
The 2005 remake with Adam Sandler and The Longest Yard pits the guards against the inmates in a series of football matches when an ex-football star (Burt Reynolds) s the prison as the latest inmate.
Seeking guidance under the brash sportsman, the prisoners attempt to seek vengeance for the brutality they endured at the hands of the guards. Equally poignant and funny, the film provides simple thrills that the entire family can enjoy.
