THE 25 MOST SHOCKING SCHIZOPHRENIA MOVIES - ECONOMÍA - 2024

Thanks to these films on schizophrenia that I am going to present you, you will be able to get an idea of ​​what this mental illness means. Among them are Shutter island, A wonderful mind, Someone flew over the cuckoo's nest or Donnie Darko.

Would you like to know how a person with schizophrenia acts, thinks and feels? A good way to approach the interesting world of the mind is through movies. The advantages are that you can learn while having fun, and you can turn a boring afternoon into a very enriching movie session.

As a short introduction, we can say that schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterized by discomfort, hallucinations, incoherent or disorganized language and behavior, delusions or firm beliefs about ideas that are irrational; among many other symptoms.

It is not something temporary, but stable in time; and it is generally said that people with this disorder lose contact with reality and live in their internal world. You may also be interested in these psychology movies.

Recommended Movies About Schizophrenia

1- Shutter Island (2010)

Directed by the magnificent Martin Scorsese and rated 7.6 on Filmaffinity, this thriller is set in the 1950s.

It's about two agents: Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) who are sent to a mental institution on a remote island on a mission to investigate the disappearance of a dangerous mentally challenged murderer who has mysteriously escaped from the hospital.

However, during the search, they will discover that not everything is as it seems, strange events occurring that will make the agents doubt their true mission there.

2- “A Beautiful Mind” or “A wonderful mind” (2001)

It is based on a real case, and is about John Forbes Nash, an eccentric and illustrious mathematician who developed revolutionary theories for science, winning the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1994.

But he was immersed in a terrible disease, paranoid schizophrenia, which made his dedication to mathematics a true obsession.

Finally, when he gets a place as a teacher, he will meet a student (Alicia Lardé) who will show him that love can be above mathematics.

But, due to his incredible ability to crack codes, he is hired by the United States Department of Defense to help them defeat the Soviet Union in the Cold War. This film received 4 Oscars and is rated 7.5 by Filmaffinity users.

3- "Naked Lunch" or "Naked Lunch" (1991)

From the unusual director David Cronenberg, whose cinema is one of the most representative of what has been called “corporal horror”.

In this Kafkaesque film; We will see how William Lee, a pest exterminator, realizes that his wife is stealing the insecticide he uses to get high.

They capture Lee for suspecting that he is the one who uses the drug, but at the police headquarters he meets a giant insect that orders him to kill his wife.

From there, the protagonist suffers a struggle oscillating between his hallucinations and reality, immersed in a world of strange creatures called "Interzone".

4- “The Shining” or “El resplandor” (1980)

You can not miss this famous psychological horror film by the great Stanley Kubrick, which practically takes place inside a huge hotel in Colorado.

It is about Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), a former alcoholic writer who accepts the job of looking after a lonely hotel during the winter months, since during that time it is closed and isolated by the snow. He moves with his wife and son in order to find the necessary peace of mind to write a novel.

But, the stay begins to turn into a nightmare due to the isolation, the isolation, the paranormal events and the mental problems that begin to appear in Jack.

In this influential film, Kubrick has managed to capture the ins and outs of schizophrenia; becoming considered one of the best films in the history of cinema.

5- "Videodrome" (1993)

We return with another Cronenberg film; where Max Renn (James Woods) is in charge of a television network that sustains itself by offering different and original content.

Searching for materials for his channel, he finds very real-looking torture recordings called "Videodrome." What the protagonist did not know is that the morbid images seem to cause damage to the mental health of those who look at it, altering their way of seeing the world forever.

6- "Spider" (2002)

From the same director, it is based on a novel by Patrick McGrath, who also wrote the script for this film. It is set during the sixties and eighties, and is about Spider (Bradley Hall), a boy who lived how his father murdered his mother and replaced her with a prostitute.

To prevent her from killing him too, he developed a lunatic plan that ended in great tragedy.

Later, after leaving the psychiatric hospital and being admitted to another center; Spider stops taking his medication, causing repressed memories of his childhood to be reborn that will drive him to a maximum state of insanity.

This film was nominated for the Palme d'Or (best film) at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.

7- "Donnie Darko" (2001)

By Richard Kelly, is a psychological thriller about an American boy with schizophrenia named Donnie, in which one night a mysterious giant rabbit appears in his garden and asks him to leave his room. Donnie shows up, being saved from death by a piece of a plane that was going to fall into his room that night.

It seems that the rabbit tells him about the end of the world and tries to manipulate him into committing a series of crimes.

It is ideal for you if you are interested in films that make you think.

8- “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” or “Someone flew over the cuckoo's nest” (1975)

American film directed by Miloš Forman, in which important actors such as Jack Nicholson or Danny DeVito appear.

It is about a character who is sentenced to prison, but gets rid of it by being classified as mentally unbalanced. In reality, it is all a sham to avoid going to jail, pretending to be a rampant lunatic who sparks several wars between staff and patients.

9- “Clean, Shaven” (1993)

It is a Lodge Kerrigan drama, about Peter Winter, a schizophrenic haunted by his past who escapes from the mental hospital to search for his daughter, who is in the custody of adoptive parents.

During the search he will come to face violently against defenseless people and against himself.

Thanks to this film you can get a good view of what a person with schizophrenia can be like.

10- "K-PAX, a universe apart" (2001)

It's an interesting science fiction movie directed by Iain Softley, about a mysterious psychiatric patient named Prot who claims he comes from the planet "K-Pax."

To the surprise of his psychiatrist, Prot becomes very convincing and even begins to shake the schemes of those around them; causing problems to differentiate reality from fantasy.

eleven-

Directed by Alexandre Aja, this film is especially recommended for those who enjoy the horror genre and want to know more about schizophrenia.

It is a remake of the Korean movie "the other side of the mirror", and is about a security guard who is having a bad time in his life, and who has taken the job of guarding a disturbing ruined shopping mall.

One day, patrolling the warehouses, he is caught observing his own reflection in mysterious mirrors. At that moment he begins to see horrible images of the past reflected in the glass, driving the protagonist to despair.

12- "Angel baby" (1995)

Two schizophrenic patients, Kate (Jacqueline McKenzie) and Harry (John Lynch) meet during group therapy and fall deeply in love, struggling to maintain a relationship that is seen as crazy.

Later, Kate becomes pregnant and is forced to stop treatment; which leads them to conflicts and continuous wars that will lead them to a resounding failure.

13- "Some voices" or "some voices" (2000)

Ray is a boy with schizophrenia who leaves the mental center where he was housed, being in the hands of his overprotective brother Pete.

Ray, tries to reintegrate into society helping his brother in the family business, at home and even in his love life; although without obtaining great results.

But, unexpectedly, a brash and unbalanced Scottish girl crosses paths with Ray who will lead the protagonist back into madness.

14- “Veronika Decides to Die” or “Veronika decides to die” (2009)

It is a drama film directed by Emily Young, which is based on the play by Paulo Coelho.

It is about Veronika, a young woman who apparently has everything in her life and has grown tired of living. After trying to commit suicide, she enters a mental institution where she is informed that she has little time to live due to the drug overdose she took.

During that period of time, Veronika meets various patients and their curious stories; among them, a schizophrenic who will make her change her point of view.

15- “Benny & Joon, the love of the innocents” (1993)

It is a film by Jeremiah Chechik, in which Joon, a sensitive and delicate girl, develops schizophrenia after the death of her parents. For that reason her brother Benny, who is a frustrated mechanic, gives all his care to her in an excessive way, overprotecting her.

This strong bond between the brothers is threatened by the arrival of Sam (Johnny Depp), an extravagant boy who after a strange bet in a game of poker has to live with them. Little by little the conflicts arise as the love between Joon and Sam is born.

There is really no mention in the movie that Joon has schizophrenia, but it is evident from his auditory hallucinations, need for medication and routine.

16- Take Shelter (2011)

Independent film directed and written in 2011 by Jeff Nichols.

Curtis LaForche begins to have terrifying visions and dreams about the end of the world. This will lead her to make the decision to protect her family at all costs and start the construction of a shelter

17- Lilith (1964)

Lilith has a strange behavior, which is why she is a patient in a clinic of wealthy people. Vincent will be the doctor in charge of your case and will seek your recovery.

18- Canvas (2006)

It is a film written and directed by Joseph Greco in 2006, based on his life story. Mary and John are married and going through a problem: Mary suffers from schizophrenia and constantly has to be admitted to the hospital.

The couple have a son named Chris, who adores his mother and learns to embroider just like her. This affects her at school, suffering bullying from her classmates.

19- I never promised you a rose garden (1977)

Film inspired by the homonymous novel by Joanne Greenberg directed by Anthony Page and released in 1977. It tells of the relationship between a schizophrenic patient and her psychiatrist.

It is an autobiographical story that shows the torment suffered by people with this disease. The story earned an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

20- The Fisher King (1991)

Jack Lucas' announcing career is on the decline after one of his shows was the cause of a tragedy. Jack decides to end his life but his savior appears in the form of a homeless man with a mental disorder.

21- Black Swan (2011)

The goal of the main character, Nina, is to become the main dancer in the play Swan Lake for a New York ballet company. But a controlling mother and the extra effort she goes to perfecting her performance affect her sanity.

Around him strange events begin to happen that will keep the viewer in suspense. This production received 189 nominations and 69 awards, including 5 Oscars.

22- The soloist (2009)

Based on a true story and the book The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music.

Steve suffers from creative problems, which makes it difficult for him to write as a journalist for the Los Angeles Times, but one day he meets a homeless schizophrenic, Nathaniel.

Nathaniel plays a two-string violin on the streets of New York, so Steve decides to inquire about its history and the reasons that led him to live on the streets.

23- Benny & Joon, the love of the innocents (1993)

After his parents pass away, Benny must take care of his sister Joon, who has mental problems and acts very strange. This affects his social life and he has not had a girlfriend for a long time.

Soon the brothers will have to deal with someone new, Sam, a very strange young man who will change their lives.

24- I'm a cyborg (2006)

A young woman admitted to a psychiatric hospital believes she is a cyborg, she acts like one and her food is electric batteries.

But his behavior begins to change after meeting another young man in the hospital who hides his face with a mask.

25- Death of an Angel (2001)

Romulus, a homeless man, lives in a cave in a Manhattan park. Previously, he was a renowned pianist but a mental illness began to torment him and took him to the streets.

A body is found hanging from a tree and Romulus will have to fight his hallucinations to find the killer and help solve the case.