Prozac Nation

I picked up the DVD of "Prozac Nation" at a great low price, and I am pleased to say that this movie was well worth the money. I liked this movie so much that I can't wait to read the book when I find it (the film is based on the novel of the same name).

The movie tells the true story of Elizabeth Wurtzel (played by the beautiful Christina Ricci)and her battle with depression. She gets tired of life and nears suicide. However, she struggles to stay alive throughout her life in the 1980's, when sex and drugs ruled.

Christina Ricci was the best at acting in this film. Her performance was very realistic and true as the depressed Elizabeth. I myself had to combat depression before, so I know the things she was going through, and I know how she feels. She was really trying her best to survive in the movie, and I appreciate the film-makers efforts to show it on the screen. And aside from her character in the film, Christina Ricci herself was beautiful; her gorgeous nude body is shown at the beginning of the movie!

The movie put great effort to give the background scenery an 80's feel, since the book was based in the 1980's. However, I noticed that there were glaring anachronisms (mistakes in the timeline setting of the movie) that distracted me slightly from the story. But still, I got over it and continued watching the movie.

The anachronisms was one of the two things that I didn't like in the movie. The second thing I hated was Elizabeth's mom (played by Jessica Lange); she was a very annoying and clichéd character. Without Jessica Lange's exaggerated performance, the movie would have been nearly perfect.

Aside from those two things, the movie was very good and interesting. I never imagined that there would actually be a true story about depression portrayed in a movie. It was good to see this movie, since it would help spread awareness about depression. It's too bad that the author of the book didn't like the film.

I give this film an 8/10.

I think I should start by stating that I was hungry for this film, the book Prozac Nation, which chronicles Elizabeth Wurtzel's battle with depression, meant so much to me and each delay to the film (and there were many) only served to increase my desire to see it. Then I watched it…. and from the opening scene my heart sank.

But lets get things straight first, it is a good film, probably would never win any awards but there are worse ways to kill a couple of hours. The performances, from a cast that includes Jessica Lange and Anne Heche, are solid (although somewhat unfairly Jason Biggs will always be the guy who humped the pie in my eyes) and in the case of Christina Ricci, who played Wurtzel herself, exceptional, the soundtrack's cool (well it does include The Pretenders, Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen after all) and if you haven't read the book you'll probably like, maybe even love, it. However therein lies the problem, a film based on an international bestseller is surely aiming itself at a target audience of its readers and for this film that's the very people who are least likely to enjoy it. The film sucks out all the depth that made the book so brilliant and so important to millions, for example, instead of being a emotionally messed up young woman who fears abandonment and uses sex and anger as defence mechanisms, Wurtzel becomes a bitchy, whiny slut who is difficult to relate to or feel sympathy for. Furthermore the time constraints lead the film to focus solely on the Harvard years cutting out the important childhood/teen years and leading to a resolution which occurs far to early making depression seem like a problem which can be solved within a year. However I suppose the biggest problem the film has to overcome is the fact that reading Prozac Nation is a highly personal and private thing, meaning no film will be able to compare to the one the readers have already seen in their heads.

This film is about a young first year Harvard student's life with depression and personality problems.

Christina Ricci's acting is superb in this film. She plays Lizzie very well, she manages to give a full range of emotional expressions. Most of the time, Lizzie's sad, so Christina Ricci had to pull a sad face most of the time. In addition to sadness, there is also joy, ecstasy, intoxication, rage and jealousy. All these emotions are fully and effectively displayed by Ricci.

Jessica Lange acts very well in this film as well. She plays this over-controlling mother with a lot of anger. The scene with her arguing about the medical bills with Christina Ricci is amazing, they both displays brilliant acting skills.

The film is not bad at all, it was a pity that it did not receive a theatrical release.

well if you're one of those rare creatures that would answer with a 'no' then watch this movie you'll understand how hard is get out of a bed when you are depressed, how hard is to find a reason to live and why you just can't explain the way you feel. Cristina Ricci is an amazing actress indeed. portrayed this problem in such an excellent way that gave you the right idea is not a romantic or dramatic, or pathetic point of view at all, just the way it is.

its a simple story with a simple explanation for a complicated issue, the reason why sometimes you can't just look forward a supposed good life, no matter how good you are, how brave you look, or how easy your life looks. there's also issues that actually affect our youngsters this days, and changes during the movies, the Part that Jonathan Rhys Meyers has here is small and looks like non important at all but it is, he's crucial for the whole story to be told, shows the difference between a depression patient and just a messed up kid. An amazing movie made from an Amazing book.

"Prozac Nation" is a case study of clinical depression with Ricci as a Harvard frosh trying to cope with her own identity crisis, poor self esteem, and uncontrollable mood swings; the expectations of an over-compensating divorced mother; the absenteeism of a shallow father; and the sincerity of a love she can't believe is real. The film does a good job of accurately representing the destructive influences of the disease of depression in spite murky flashbacks, a hazy narration by Ricci, and a melodramatic and contrived feel. A showcase for Ricci, who meets the demands of her role, this film's lukewarm reception may have more to do with the lack of understanding of the Jekyll-Hyde nature of the depressed person than a poor presentation of the character. (B)