Manic (2001) | Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adrienne Rollo

Manic (2001) | Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adrienne Rollo | Captivating

DVDs:

Manic (2001)

	Manic (2001) Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adrienne Rollo MGM (Video & DVD), 2004 average customer review:based on 30 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Don Cheadle (Traffic) is 'simply mesmerizing (Entertainment Today) in this piercing intimate and edgy ('sixty Second Preview ) drama about troubled teens hovering on the edge of sanity. Featuring an exceptional young cast, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt ( 3rd Rock From the Sun ) and Zooey Deschanel (All the Real Girls), Manic is a remarkable gem of a film (London Film Festival). At first glance, 17-year-old Lyle Jensen (Gordon-Levitt) seems eerily quiet and withdrawn. But he has a problem with anger, and this time his explosive rage has landed him in the juvenile ward of a mental institution under the watchful eye of therapist David Monroe (Cheadle). Can Dr. Monroe get Lyle and the other kids to open up, confront their demons and reclaim their lives?

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great movie!

I loved this movie! I've never watched a movie that was filmed entirely with a hand-held camera, so for the first few minutes the scenes made me a little dizzy because they jump around a lot. But, it's the way they filmed this movie that really made it stand out. It gave it a realistic effect, very raw and in-your-face. I thought the acting was really well done, and I could immediately feel a connection with the charactures as the movie progressed. I've been through a very similar experience in my life, and the way the film was depicted was precise and hit home for me. A few of the charactures in this movie had actually been in Psychiatric Hospitals, and had gone through group therapy and experienced mental illness first hand, so that gave the movie an even more accurate feel. The struggles are very real, it really is a true look into the lives of people who are not so perfect, but are more like you and me than you may realize.

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Captivating

I have owned this movie on VHS for some time now and intend on buying the DVD (I'll have a back up). I have watched it over and over and find it just as gripping and real as I did the first time.
I consider this my favorite movie of all time because (for once) I can actually relate to the characters on a very deep level. Its a very accurate depiction of what its like to fear yourself. To wish that you could rope in that dark side of your mind and control it, but sometimes you can't. That deep need and desire for an outlet for all the strife and pain and anger and hurt and sadness.
This is a very real movie. I love the way it is filmed. I love the way it is written. I love the way it holds me, fixated on the screen, until the very end. See what you think.

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Realistic and never sensational

Manic follows juvenile psychiatric patient Lyle (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to Los Angeles's Northward Mental Institution, where he is admitted after beating another student with a baseball bat during a fight. In a hauntingly realistic portrayal of mental turmoil, the movie follows the painstakingly slow (or non-existent) progress for Lyle, suicidal Tracy (Zooey Deschanel), self-injuring goth rocker Sara (Sara Rivas), bipolar rich kid Chad (Michael Bacall), and sexually abused Kenny (Cody Lightning). Don Cheadle portrays staff therapist Dr. Dave, a man who struggles against his own feelings of futility and ineffectiveness. The teens have angst, their families are near the breaking point, and those charged with fixing the out-of-control teens lack all the answers.

Director Jordan Melamed shot the film on hand-held digital video in an actual mental hospital, strongly adhering to the essential intentions of the Dogme 95 movement. As such, film is not a barrier between the viewer and the action on screen.

Manic is never sensationalist; rather, it uncovers truths that lurk in the lives of nearly all families. There are no trite life lessons, no jaw-dropping "crazy person" performances in hope of an Oscar nod, and the end isn't tied up with a big pretty bow. The movie does end with a sense of hope, not for banishing all trauma and difficulty, but for the ability to control and manage it within our lives.

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Good Flick

This movie was great. Cheadle gives a good performance, and Zooey adds a nice touch, but the star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, makes this movie great with his dedication to acting, and his stellar portrayal of a boy lost in his anger. I recommend, especially for and JGL fans

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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