Movie Review: Prozac Nation

What a movie!

These three words sum up Prozac Nation. Be warned though that it is not for weak, depressed minds. Don’t ever watch it when you are feeling down, it can get to you in a way, I’m serious.

Based on Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America: A Memoir, an autobiography by Elizabeth Wurtzel, this screen adaptation extracts fine performances by all actors: anyway, two are mention-worthy: Christina Ricci and Jessica Lange.

What happens when an only (girl) child witnesses a divorce-torn, traumatic childhood and then pressured to achieve forms the subject matter of this film. An irresponsible father and an overbearing mother complete her a teen wreck. The mother, unable to cope with her husband’s departure from the house tries to “realize” her ambition through her helpless daughter.

Elizabeth makes it to Harvard to study Journalism and become a rock-music critic. Harvard is her idea of freedom from her mother’s blackmail-to-bring-you-on-your-knees technique. However, childhood scars ransack her psyche: she suddenly realizes that she can no longer write, keeps awake for days together, refuses help, rejects counselling, does drugs, is certified Depressed, and is sent back home to recover. She misbehaves with her grandparents, fights endlessly with her mother, fails in a promising relationship…. this sorry catalogue of failures is her own doing. What makes is more painful is that she realizes it herself.

That’s when her psychiatrist prescribes Prozac to which she is addicted. That is also the period when her struggle is at its peak: she finally attempts suicide by slashing her wrist but is stopped in time. Her recovery begins when her mother is admitted to the hospital after being mugged.

Prozac Nation is equally, a near-realistic depiction of the American society, which has forgotten how to relax. What is true at the individual level is equally true in the larger context. This is perhaps Ricci’s finest performance to date: subtle and intense at the same time. She really experiences the depression, instead of play-acting it, believe me, it’s that good.

It ironical that Prozac Nation didn’t get the commercial success it deserved, rumours have that Miramax goofed up the release but what the hell. The movie is heavy on dialogues, riveting nevertheless. Plus (should I say minus?) it is damn slow-moving. Yet it holds your attention till the very end. The ending itself isn’t run-of-the-mill, where “everything is explained.” There’s no “climax,” it’s left to the viewer to figure out where it goes from there. Much like several critically-acclaimed literary works. Which can be pretty disconcerting for modern-day viewers who’ve been accustomed to watching the puzzles fitting together at the end. No sirreee… no spoonfeeding here if you expect it. Prozac Nation is one of the rare movies that actually challenges your imagination by leaving behind some loose threads.

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